Mayura
by Emeralddusk
Summary: In the name of love, Nathalie falls into a darkness that transforms her into a dark Miraculous. All for devotion, all for a promise, all for him. Following the events of The Wicked. NOTE: Words in italics are used for emphasis as well as showing they are spoken in their native French. Contains graphic depictions of domestic abuse and bloody images.
1. Advent

Mayura

Advent

I

Innocence

_Some believe childhood to be a sacred time: In the tenderest years of our lives, before cynicism, regret, and complex emotions take hold, we simply exist. All problems can be solved with simple words, all struggles disappear by the time we fall asleep, and everything we hear is the truth. Childhood is the time when we are at our most insecure: We know with absolute certainty that we are loved, destined for great things, and safe with our parents or guardians. Despite nightmares, frightening scenes in movies, parents losing their temper and raising their voices, and ghost stories, we have nothing to fear. _

_In a perfect world, all of this would be true. In a perfect world, all parents love their children. In a perfect world, no child is born with mental or personality disorders. In a perfect world, no parent would hate, wound, or abandon their child. We don't live in a perfect world._

As a bolt of lightning that appeared more like an explosion in the blackest of nights, tore through the sky, followed by a horrid clap of thunder sounding like mountains colliding with one another shook the very ground, a little girl's dull-blue eyes flew open as her sweet dream quickly became a nightmare. Terrified by her dreams and the hellish world she woke up to, the lightly pale child pulled her sheets and covers up over her face until her naturally purple-and-black hair was hidden from the evil night. Outside her very window, thunder continued to roar and shake her house. The frightened little girl winced and sobbed as her body trembled, her hot tears staining her sheets. With one final, monstrous blast, the wicked thunder sent the little one out of her bed and charging from her dark, monster-filled bedroom to the hallway.

Her vision blurred with tears, vampires and long-clawed ghosts breathing down the back of her neck, the purple-haired child desperately ran down the dark and narrow hallway. "Papa!" she cried out in fear and faith. "Papa!"

Summoned by the girl's cries, footsteps soon came from her parents' room, but not those of her father. Making her way down the hallway, pulling her housecoat tightly over her chest, a black-haired woman quickly proceeded toward her daughter with a look of determination and resentment upon her pale face. "Nathalie, stop that!" she sharply whispered, though it seemed more like a scream to the child. "You'll wake your father!"

"Mommy, I'm scared," the sniveling, shaking little girl exclaimed as hot tears streamed down her cheeks and mucus began to run down to her lips. "I had a bad dream, and the storm is so loud, and…"

"Come on," the woman interrupted in a cold, almost scornful voice as she gestured for her daughter to turn around. Without another word, mother and daughter returned to the girl's bedroom. "Get back in bed."

Nodding her head and swallowing the swelling lump in her throat, Nathalie climbed into her bed and began to pull her sheets back up to her neck. However, the storm continued outside. "Mommy," she sobbed. "Could you sit with me for a little bit?"

"I can't, Nathalie," the woman sighed. "I have work in the morning. Just try to get some sleep. And you shouldn't wake your father up this late at night. You _know_ he doesn't sleep well."

"I'm sorry," the little girl replied, feeling ashamed of herself. At the same time, she knew her mother was not capable of comforting her like her father was.

"Everything will be okay," the raven-haired woman explained as she calmed her temper. "Remember, thunder is just the clouds rumbling. There _are_ no such thing as monsters." Looking into her daughter's eyes, the woman walked over to her bed, sat on its edge, and gently stroked the little girl's long, purple hair. "I know it's scary, but there's nothing to be afraid of. Try to get some sleep. Everything will be better in the morning. Okay?"

"Thanks, Mommy," Nathalie answered as she rolled onto her right side and closed her damp, sticky eyes. Despite her mother's words, however, the child was still afraid. Why couldn't her father have been the one to wake up?

The next morning, after her mother had left for work, Nathalie sat on the living room floor, driving a toy truck through an imaginary forest atop the carpeting. Last night felt like nothing more than a forgotten bad dream now.

"I heard you had a rough night, angel," a warm, calm voice broke the girl's concentration. Nathalie looked up from the floor to see her father, dressed in his usual flannel, slightly overweight and balding at the top of his head, and as comforting as a kind storybook king. "Did you have a bad dream?"

"Yeah," the purple-haired girl answered plainly.

Pained by his daughter's sorrow, the kindly man sat down beside her, pulled her closer to him, and rested his right arm around her little body. "I'm sorry, Nathalie," he warmly declared. "It seems like thunderstorms always bring bad dreams with them. What was your dream about?"

"I was sitting on a glass floor that kind of looked like a butterfly," Nathalie began to recount her unpleasant memory. "I was waiting for someone, but then I heard a loud noise, and the glass broke, and a big monster that looked like a moth looked at me and opened its mouth really wide." Just describing what she had seen was enough to bring the child to tears.

"Oh, angel, I'm sorry," Nathalie's father exclaimed as he hugged his beloved daughter. "I've had dreams like that, too. They can be really scary. Sometimes I see that same moth. He tells me he's going to take you away, and there's never anything I can do to stop him…So, you know what I do?"

"What?" the little girl asked with confidence.

"When I wake up, I remind myself that it's just a dream, since dreams can't hurt us because they're not real," the man explained. "Then, I get out of bed, walk down the hallway, open your door just a little, and make sure you're still there. And, every single time I do that, you're _always_ there." Nathalie smiled, exposing her white teeth and several empty spots where baby-teeth had recently fallen from. "The next time you have a dream like that, Nathalie, I want you to turn on your light and look around your room. You'll see there's no moth monster. You see, if he was real, he'd come to the light. Because all moths seek light. If he doesn't, you know he's made-up. And, if the moth-man ever _does_ show up, you come wake me up, and I'll chase him away."

"Thank you, Papa," the little girl warmly and graciously exclaimed as she hugged her father and closed her eyes. "I love you."

"I love you too, angel," the loving father answered as his daughter's happy memory came to a close.

II

Innocence, Lost

_I loved my mother and father dearly, as all children do. My father and I were always close, but my mother and I seemed to grow more distant as time went by. The earliest memory I have of being truly terrified was when I was six years old. I haven't talked about it much, but I've told those who truly needed to know. The pain is distant, but still not something I can recount comfortably._

"What the _hell_ were you doing?" the dark-haired woman nearly snarled as her daughter entered the house one cold, rainy afternoon. "I have been _looking_ for you."

"Sorry," Nathalie timidly answered. "It was raining, so I went to get the mail before it got too wet."

Her face tensing as she rose up from her chair, Nathalie's mother's voice gradually grew louder and sharper with every word she spoke, until they became screams: "And is that…why you're dragging mud and water on the kitchen floor?!" Looking down at her wet, filthy rain-boots, the purple-haired little girl immediately felt her heart begin to pound as the realization of her guilt and shame came crashing down on her. Before the girl could respond, a swift, forceful hand sharply slapped across her right cheek and the bridge of her nose, causing her to let out a high-pitched shriek. All the while, she prayed and hoped the awful slap would be the worst of it.

"I spent two hours cleaning that floor today," the raven-haired woman continued, her face tightening and growing red with disgusted anger. "Two hours of cleaning, _alone_…while you were running around outside like a spoiled little brat!" Nathalie swallowed hard as her trembling throat and panicked mind began to forge an apology. "March your ass back outside and clean those boots off," the woman entered her lowest, sharpest tone, which may have been the only thing more frightening than her screams. "When you come back inside, dry off, go _straight_ to your room."

Turning around, the little girl stepped back out into the pouring rain and began scraping off her boots. Her tears and sobbing were buried under the constant sound of raindrops colliding with the trees and siding of her family's house. Nathalie could no longer tell if she was crying out of guilt, pain from her mother's slap, or from the fact that her beloved mother would actually strike her. Once her work was done, the girl entered her house once again, placed her boots on a matt in front of a heating vent, and slowly began climbing up the stairs to her bedroom.

"I think you're forgetting something," the woman's disapproving voice called out once again. Nathalie paused and turned back to see her mother sitting down and facing away from her. "Well?"

"…What?" Nathalie asked, her voice timid and trembling.

Incensed, the woman all but threw herself out of her chair and quickly stormed over to her daughter. Upon climbing the steps to where Nathalie stood, the girl's mother roughly grabbed the back of her shirt with her left hand and forcefully pulled her closer. Her teeth gritted to restrain her growing anger and disgust, the raven-haired woman glared into her daughter's eyes. "What is it you say when you've done something wrong and upset your mother?" she snarled through her teeth. "You selfish, spoiled, stupid, little pig! Tell me what you _say_!"

The tears now streaming from her eyes, Nathalie swallowed hard and shifted her glance to the floor. "I'm sorry," she choked out. For the rest of the night, the young girl was confined to her room, where she was deprived of her dinner, a kiss goodnight, and any sign of forgiveness. With her father away on business, the promise of tomorrow seemed distant.

_From that moment on, I dreaded ever being alone with my mother. Every interaction was a source of tension. Whatever I said, whatever I did, it was all like walking on eggshells. I never knew what would set her off. I knew what not to say, what not to do, and what I should say or do, but the rules seemed to change at a moment's notice. I was conditioned and afraid, but it never stopped. I continuously told myself it would, if I just did a better job, tried harder, or was just a better person. I truly, earnestly believed I could make my mother love me…love me enough to stop the pain._

III

Unforgiven

_Then, when I was twelve, I prayed that God would kill me, so my mother would be saved. I stopped saying that prayer when I turned fourteen. When I turned fourteen, my eyes started to open: They didn't open all the way, and there was so much I didn't see or saw wrong, but they opened. I went into mourning for the childhood I __**could**__ have had, the family I could have had, and the person I could have been. Then, I started hating my mother. I hated her for the way she was, for the way she __**should**__ have been, and for taking my happy life away from me._

Coming home from another long day at school, still unable to wear her backpack over her right shoulder, Nathalie kicked off her shoes and immediately climbed up the stairs to her bedroom. Her long, purple-and-black hair had been trimmed to little more than a pixie-cut, her dull-blue eyes were surrounded by thick, black eyeliner, and her long sleeves covered all of her wounds. The happy, innocent little girl she had been was nothing more than an unhappy memory.

Once inside her room, the young woman threw her pack on the floor, locked her door, covered her window, and slowly raised her aching arms to remove her shirt. Once her upper covering had been discarded on the floor, Nathalie unbuttoned and unzipped her jeans, let them fall around her ankles, and kicked them off. Brushing a lock of hair away from her eye, the young woman slowly crouched down in front of her vanity mirror. With sadness in her eyes and soaked over her pale face, Nathalie looked over the battered, broken, and shamed body the one who was supposed to love her had given to her: Her long, thin legs were coated with bruises ranging from yellowish to nearly black, several short cuts from having nails dug into her calves and outer thighs, darkened patches over the ribs and breastbone, welts on her shoulders, red marks sporadically running from her shoulder-blades to the middle of her spine, and a round burn mark from a cigarette her flesh had been forced to put out. _Who could ever love a girl with scars? _she sobbed to herself. "…So ugly," she whispered, forming a lump in her throat.

_I never told anyone, not even my father. The beatings weren't all that common, but the things she said to me, and the awful, hateful snarl in her voice were what broke me and kept me awake at night. Pretty soon, I stopped living with my feelings and pains, and started searching for distractions. I started lying to my parents, saying I was studying with friends, when I was really hiding out by my school, smoking, cutting, or begging my friends to let me spend the night with them. Most of my friends were young men. I realized years later that my poor relationship with my mother had given me the sense that other women were silently judging me. I felt intimidated and reminded of my worthlessness. There were three instances of violent altercations with other girls, some of which were in my class, and the others a grade or two ahead. Every time I'd swear at them, pull their hair, or punch them, I imagined my mother. But, no matter how many distractions, or how many worthless attempts at venting my anger, the pain and anger never went away. And still, I refused to tell anyone what was happening to me._

IV

Moving On

_My teenage years were perhaps the most terrible times of my life. I did things that I'd only seen in nightmares. Every day was devoid of hope and filled with a terrible sorrow and anger. I found myself praying for my mother's death. It was during that time I betrayed every friendship and relationship I ever had. My mother and father no longer trusted me, and I did everything in my power to make them both miserable. My justification for my mother, terrible though it was, was clear. My justification for my father, however, was distorted: I hated and blamed him for not stopping my mother, as if he could. It took years for me to realize my father was as much a victim as I was. My greatest regret is wasting all those years hating him. _

_Then, one horrible day, I came home from school to find my house empty. My father was still at work, which was nothing new for that time of day, but the absence of my mother was strange. Not long after my arrival, a knock on the door ended my search, and when I answered it, two men removed their hats and told me my mother was never coming home. All I could do was nod my head and close the door. After that, I walked towards the couch, removed my glasses, felt tears well up my eyes, and began laughing. It was such a relief, such a weight off my body, mind, and soul. At long last, she was gone, just as I'd wished and dreamed of for so long. I kept laughing until I finally fell to my knees, threw my glasses against the wall, and began openly sobbing and screaming._

_Despite all that had happened, all the pain, lies, hatred, and fear, there was no hatred. There never was. That night, my father and I held one another, looked up at the ceiling, and said nothing for nearly three hours._

_Years after we buried her, I finally managed to find myself again, turn away from all the anger and fear, tell my story, and finally start living my life and taking responsibility for who I was and what I had done. I went away to school, buried myself in my studies, made some friends, and pursued a career. I worked harder than I could imagine, but I kept telling myself I was working towards a goal: I was running to that warm, bright place I dreamed of between beatings and curses._

_My father and I remained close until he passed away. He died in his sleep, about an hour after he told me that he loved me and how proud he was of the strong, beautiful woman I had grown to be. That was almost twenty years ago._

_For so long, I was happy. My past was behind me. I maintained friendships, succeeded at every job I worked, and was even accepted as the personal assistant, secretary, and advisor to Gabriel Agreste. I worked under him for years, never seeing him as anything other than an employer. Then, one day, he introduced me to his wife. Her name was Emilie: Emilie was not only the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, but also the most caring, kind, gentle, loving, and genuine. I had never once thought of Gabriel's life outside of his work, yet, he chose to share it with me. _

_Emilie and I bonded immediately, forming a friendship within minutes. She was like a little sister to me, and within several weeks, we had achieved the bond that takes most a lifetime to form. However, nothing could have prepared me for Gabriel's offer not long after. He knocked on my office door, I let him in, he approached my desk in the same manner he practiced when handing me a document that needed review, cupped his hands behind his back, and asked me if I would accept the position of his chief personal secretary, assistant, and live-in maid. He explained that, upon my accepting the job, my office would be moved to the Agreste mansion, I would be given a room in their home to call my own, and I would legally become a part of the Agreste family. Hesitant at first, I soon accepted, and, for the first time since we had met, Gabriel smiled and thanked me, as if he had just succeeded at an impossible goal. I had never seen him so surprised, joyful, and human before._

_Not long after I had moved into the Agreste family's home, Emilie announced that she was pregnant with her and Gabriel's first child. Later, in private, she told me, if the baby was a girl, she would be named Nathalie. If the baby were a boy, he would be named Adrien. When Adrien was born, Emilie and Gabriel were ecstatic. Their child brought them more joy than any accomplishment they had ever made in a lifetime of devoted work and investment. That may have been the last time Gabriel seemed truly human._

_As happy as I was for them, I couldn't help but feel sadness and a weak trace of envy well up in my heart as I gazed upon their blessing. Never having been in love, I had embraced the fact that I would never have a child, much less a family, of my own. Yet, I had never been closer to that dream than I was now. No one adored Adrien more than Emilie, which made it all the harder for her as her health began to wane. The last thing she ever told me was, "Take care of him. He needs you." To this day, I'm not sure if she meant Adrien or Gabriel._

_Sometimes it pains me, remembering all the loved ones that have abandoned me. The greatest pain, though, comes from the loved ones who were taken from me. But, as painful as it was for me to watch Emilie slowly let go and close her eyes, Gabriel was truly shattered. He screamed and cursed once she was gone, begging the doctors to revive her, insisting they had not done all they could to save her. As his will to be strong crumbled, I watched him fall to his knees after he had sent everyone out of the room. For the first time in my life, I watched Gabriel Agreste cry. After that terrible day, he was never the same._

_Adrien was still so young. I was reluctant at first, but I had to try to become a maternal figure for him. I knew I could never be the woman Emilie was, but from the moment he was born, I loved Adrien as if he were my own flesh and blood. No one could know, but that love drove me through the darkest times. _

_At the same time, I found myself thinking more and more about Gabriel. He had been my rock for years, never needing a shoulder to cry on, a friend to confide in, or anything beyond a basic secretary's assistance. Since Emilie died, though, I saw him struggle more and more. He stayed up most nights, remained in solitude as often as possible, and would go days, sometimes weeks, without seeing Adrien. He was broken. I tried to help him, but he refused me every time. I realized all I could do was support him in what he chose to do. If nothing else, I had to remain close to him._

_Almost two months after Emilie's passing, an unexpected guest arrived at the Agreste estate, insisting he needed to see Gabriel. I tried to stop him, but the man was determined to see him. The two spent nearly an hour locked in Gabriel's office, and the man simply exited the room, thanked me for letting him in, and departed. To this day, I've never seen him again. I can't even recall his face._

_After that meeting, something changed in my employer. It seemed as if he had found peace, but this was short-lived. Day after day, his burdens seemed to grow. I began to fear for his health, and forced my way into his study. On that day, I learned a truth I had never imagined. At first, his plan, his destiny, horrified me, but I saw through the mask and the darkness. Now more than ever, I came to understand who and what Gabriel Agreste truly was. I saw what he was willing to do, what he was prepared to lose, all to rebuild his family for the sake of the woman he loved and the son he sought to save at any cost. On that day, I abandoned all moral restrictions, all of my fears, and any concern for my personal safety. Though the world may come to despise him, Gabriel Agreste…Hawk Moth…was a saint. And, even if it will cost me my life, peace of mind, or my redemption, I will stand by his side and see his dream and destiny fulfilled._


	2. Birth by Sorrow

Mayura

Birth by Sorrow

Lying in his unmade bed, his hair unkempt and his face darkened by unshaved facial hair, Gabriel Agreste felt his arms and legs weighed down as his heavy chest continued to rise and fall with each miserable breath he drew in. His reddened eyes still moist and glossed over with tears, the broken shell of a man put up one last struggle to force himself out of bed, only to give up.

"Sir, please," Nathalie begged of her employer. "Please let me help you. You've been lying in bed for nearly three days. You need to get up. You need to _eat_. Please, sir!"

"…Nathalie, let me go," Gabriel weakly pleaded. "Time and time again, I have tried…Every one of my dreams has died, every one of my plans has failed…now, even my Miraculous has forsaken me. I have failed her…I have failed _everything_. I no longer have the will to go on. Forgive me."

"I _won't_ let you give up," the purple-haired woman declared as she took the man's cold hands. "I made a promise, not just to you, but to _her_ that we would see this through until the end. Have you forgotten the promise you made?"

Seeing his beloved wife's face in the rays of the sun, Gabriel felt the strength return to his broken body, if only for a moment, and forced himself onto his feet with Nathalie's help. "I can't give up…not yet," the silver-haired man declared with icy composure. "…Though I'm losing control of the Akuma, I will carry on. Ladybug and _Chat Noir_ have a new ally. The three are learning the depths of their powers, extending them to new limits. I know I must do the same."

"How do you intend to do that, sir?" Nathalie asked as she watched her employer make his way over to the window.

"…I need her…In her name, I can do anything," Gabriel declared, though Hawk Moth's voice was beginning to rise. "I had forgotten that…I had forsaken _her_."

Her heart warmed, Nathalie approached her dear friend and slowly took his hand under the light of the sun. "No, sir," she warmly replied. "You were merely disheartened. But the Miraculous _will_ fall."

As the woman began to lean against her source of inspiration, Hawk Moth turned his head towards her. "Enough!" he roared, pushing Nathalie onto the ground. "_Never_ touch me in that way… I _will_ not abandon her, even in death."

"I-I'm sorry, sir," Nathalie coughed as she adjusted her glasses and shakingly returned to her feet. "I didn't mean…"

Lowering his head in shame, the dark Miraculous closed his eyes to the sun's light. "Nathalie…" he said just above a whisper. "…I'm sorry. I know you miss her as well. Please…I need to be alone."

"Yes, sir," the purple-haired woman answered with a slight nod of the head before departing from the room. Closing and locking the door before making her way down the hall, Nathalie entered her bedroom, locking and bolting the door in the darkness.

Her shades constantly up to block any light from entering, the suffering woman glanced over at her bed, whose pillow had been ripped, its bedspread torn asunder, sheets thrown and twisted, and its covers stained with the tears from nights spent in anguish. The wallpaper had been torn off in several places, several lights shattered, and precious, framed photographs ripped, crushed, or thrown to various corners. Falling to her knees, her entire body shaking, Nathalie drove her fingers through her hair, clenched several strands, and pulled them down with trembling hands as tears began to well up in her restless eyes. Taking in a sharp gasp, the woman rose her head towards the ceiling before opening her mouth wide, only to let out silent screams that pained only her. For years, she had endured, but things had grown so much worse. Throughout those years, Gabriel had been her source of inspiration and strength. To see him beaten and shamed time and time again, all at the hands of Ladybug and _Chat Noir_, had pained her just as much as the man she admired. "They're demons," she fearfully whispered as the cold and violent images of Paris' so-called heroes burned through her mind.

"Hey, Nathalie," Adrien broke the silence that night. "Since my dad's working in his office again, do you wanna have dinner with me?"

Nathalie quickly pulled herself out of her unhappy daydream and smiled at her charge. "Thank you, Adrien, but I ate earlier," she lied without hesitation. For the past couple of days, the woman had found herself all but void of an appetite and only able to eat one small meal per way, which she forced upon herself. Still, the blond young man's offer and carefree face helped her heart find some semblance of peace. Finally, the purple-haired woman walked away from the doorway and sat down next to Adrien. "Although," she continued. "I think we're both overdue for some catching up."

"Thanks, Nathalie," the blond young man happily replied. "So, how have you been?"

"I've been fine, thank you," Nathalie lied yet again, all the while wearing a calm smile. "Work has been slow lately. More importantly, I'm still relieved you're alright. Your father and I were very concerned when you didn't come home."

"I'm so sorry about that," Adrien confessed, his glance shifting to the floor. "I shouldn't have gone out with those criminals in the area."

"It's not your fault, Adrien," the woman gently replied, placing her hand atop the boy's. "All I care about is that you're safe and back home."

"All thanks to Ladybug and _Chat Noir_," the blond young man added with a smile. "Oh, and their new friend."

Nathalie felt her hand begin to tremble as her heart slowly began to pound. "Adrien…Don't put your faith in people like them," she declared out of sorrowful obligation as she returned her hand to her lap. "There's so much we don't know about them."

"But, they're superheroes, Nathalie," Adrien exclaimed. "They're the ones who _saved_ me."

"I know that, Adrien," the boy's guardian replied, her tone more unhappy than impatient. "But, we've only seen one side of them. For all we know…" Images flashed through Nathalie's mind of Ladybug and _Chat Noir_ shattering her dearest friend's dreams, as if spitting directly into the face of Emilie. "…They could be no better than the ones they're fighting." Her glance sinking to the floor, the purple-haired woman failed to notice the look of shock and hurt upon Adrien's face before he simply focused on his meal.

After a painfully long silence, Adrien gave up trying to force his dinner down past in the swelling lump in his throat, and glanced back at Nathalie, who seemed to have retreated into thought yet again. "Hey, Nathalie," the young man finally spoke up. The purple-haired woman turned to her charge. "I've noticed you've been up really late the past couple of nights…Is everything okay?"

Her entire life, Nathalie vowed to be a solid rock for Adrien: She had decided before he was born that she would always be strong and unshakable for the child she would protect and care for one day. Now more than ever, she struggled to maintain the immovable woman she had turned herself into. The desire to break down and share her pain in its every detail burned within her heart, mind, and soul. However, she chose to bite her tongue, steady her heartbeat, and bury her suffering. "I've just been working on some projects," she answered with a hint of a false smile. "But, I'm not the _only_ one who's been up late at night. Have you been having trouble sleeping, Mister Agreste?"

"Well…" Adrien began to answer as he swirled the leftovers around his plate with a fork. "I've been…having some bad dreams lately. And, it's a little hard for me to fall asleep. I think it's from…" As he spoke, the young man flashed back to the nights he spent bloody and beaten, chained to the one he loved but couldn't protect. Days of hunger, thirst, fear, doubt, and guilt seemed to force themselves back into his mind with the speed of a bolt of merciless lightning. "From…"

"From when you were kidnapped," Nathalie eased the boy's suffering while unwittingly helping him maintain his own lie. Adrien nodded as he tried to steady his breath. "Adrien, I think you're suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder…I'll make you an appointment with the psychologist. But, in the meantime, can you tell me about these dreams you've been having? It's important to share these things with a trusted adult, as you know." _Even though I've been lying to you for so long, _the woman's unhappy voice declared into the raw ear of her mind.

"Well…" the blond young man answered, releasing his fork from his trembling hand. "I can't remember all of them, but last night, I was in this building. It kind of looked like this place, but it was darker. All the windows were open, but they were too high for me to get to. I looked down at myself, and I was chained to a woman…well, a girl, that I know…" Images flashed through Adrien's mind, showing him the image of Marinette sitting nude on the cold floor, her skin red and spotted with black dots with her mask painted over her eyes. Adrien found himself naked and sitting with his back against hers as dark, freezing chains bound them together. "We were all alone, tied up…helpless. I…wanted so badly to get out, but I couldn't. So, we just sat there. The walls start closing in, and then I wake up." Before he could finish the sentence, the young man felt hot tears welling up in his eyes before they began streaming down his cheeks.

"I thought I heard you crying last night," Nathalie warmly replied, her voice like that of a loving mother as she gently took the boy's hands in her own. "It sounds like you felt like it was somehow your fault, and the fact that you couldn't do anything to help that girl you were with, makes you feel weak or powerless. Does that sound right, Adrien?" The young man closed his eyes and nodded. "Adrien, you need to understand, there was _nothing_ that could have been done. No one, not even Ladybug or _Chat Noir_ could escape something like that. Sometimes, we all get trapped in a helpless situation…but the two of you got free. That means it wasn't hopeless…You made it through, and that means you were strong. I understand why you're so afraid, though. But, if nothing else, please…don't blame yourself."

Sniffling and taking in uncontrollable snorts of air, Adrien was unable to stop his tears and mucus from pouring onto his plate as his shame and fear approached its climax. "But…I…I could've…" he tried to confess. "I…I had the…We were there…for _so_ long…If I'd only done something, we could've…"

"No, Adrien," Nathalie firmly spoke up as she lightly clenched her beloved charge's hands. "You did what you _could_…Even if you think there was more you could've done, no matter how strongly you believe that, it's not the truth. Please…let it go. Let this blame _go_. I know it was terrible, but you didn't bring it on yourself. Just thank God you're safe, and your friend is back home."

Pulling his hands away, Adrien pushed back his chair, stood up, walked over to his guardian, and froze. Looking into the suffering young man's face, Nathalie stood up in front of him, unsure of how to proceed. Before she could move or speak, the purple-haired woman watched as Adrien lunged forward, wrapped his arms around her lower back, and collapsed onto his knees. The young man pressed his face just under his guardian's breast as his sobs turned into violent cries and desperate gasps for air. His response uncontrolled, he didn't notice that his hands had slid down to Nathalie's waist as his tears stained her suit. Still, she lowered herself onto her knees, wrapped her arms around Adrien's upper back, closed her eyes, and held him tightly while lovingly hushing his cries. "It's alright, Adrien," she gently whispered. "Everything is alright. I'm here with you now…_Everything_ is alright."

That night, Adrien was able to fall asleep soon after entering his bed. His tears and release of emotions had soothed his spirit and finally put his mind enough at ease to drift into peaceful slumber. Nathalie, however, found herself sitting atop her unmade bed, her hair down and unbrushed, and her neck sore with tension come midnight. Her tears dropped and stained the carpet as she recalled her own dreams: It had been so dark, until a single moth cast a light like fire before her. The closer she came to that light, the larger the moth appeared, until, finally, it was the size of a man, and standing on two very human legs. The moth turned its head to reveal Gabriel, who wept like an untamed waterfall. Nathalie had opened her arms to him, only to find herself expelling tears from her tired eyes. Blue feathers began to fall from the ceiling of the dark room the woman found herself in, and those feathers collided with her and soaked her suit with salty tears.

By the time her terrible recollection was complete, Nathalie had turned onto her right side and fell asleep atop her cold, unwashed covers. Even as she slept, tears continued to fall from her reddened eyes. Suddenly, a strange, soothing music broke her concentration and caused her to look up at the ceiling as a warm blue light so calming it was holy, slowly began to swell above her. In that heavenly light was a small, midnight-blue creature slowly floated downward and towards her. The creature appeared childlike and feminine but empowered by a purpose. Opening its eyes to reveal darker-blue sclera and nearly transparent ruby-colored irises, the ominous, almost angelic being smiled for only a second before a look of profound sorrow overtook it. Its eyes reflected an intelligence, a consciousness. Surely, the destination it had been seeking was right before it. Opening her eyes, Nathalie found herself alone atop her sheets in the cold darkness of night.

The purple-haired woman rubbed her swollen, heavy eyes to find them moist with fresh tears. "…This sorrow…is consuming me," she tearfully exclaimed as she curled into a fetal position and hid her face in her hands.

Standing before the painting of his eternally beloved wife in the darkness, Gabriel heard the sound of something dropping behind him. Upon leaving his precious lover, the withered man followed the source of the noise to a framed photograph. Seeing Emilie's loving, smiling face unobstructed, Gabriel realized the sacred brooch his wife had worn had fallen. Bending down and frantically feeling about the floor in the dark, the man finally found the hated piece and returned it to its spot in front of his wife's left shoulder. "I'm sorry," he fearfully apologized just above a whisper. Emilie's face, now partially blocked yet again, would forever stand as a reminder of how everything precious had been lost. The brooch's five-peacock-feather shape and design seemed to glisten with a dark-blue light as it rested, as if conscious of its surroundings.


	3. Broken

Mayura

Broken

Standing in his cold, isolated chamber, Hawk Moth watched over the city from the small gateway he had been allowed. Had it not been for Ladybug, all of Paris would have been his to manipulate. Despite his struggles and losses, however, the man would endure. For Emilie, for their son, he would suffer anything. Turning away from the city, the dark Miraculous gazed at the swarms of akuma fluttering around the room and filling it with a corrupt white light. "Why do you defy me?" he asked of the spirits, his voice strong but laced with sorrow and anger. "You were created to serve the master of the butterfly Miraculous: To do otherwise is an abomination!"

Unchanged by their so-called master's words, the white sprites created a slight hiss as their wings flapped. The mysterious beings' non-existent eyes seemed to stare into Hawk Moth's blackened soul, as if in judgment of him. Turning to each corner the butterflies hovered about, the man studied their numbers and spread his arms. "I am your master!" he declared, creating an echo throughout the chamber. "You will all live and die in _my_ service! That is the reason for which you were born! _I_ am the realization of the dream of the Miraculous, and my word is law!" The swarm seemed to beat its wings faster as the beast spoke. "Now, come to my aid, and be at my side. Paris belongs to us…and I have found the newest vessel for my goal."

As commanded, a small swarm of Akuma gathered to Hawk Moth's call, each seeming to vie for his favor. Clasping one in his hands, the beast focused corruptive energy and filled the spirit with its wicked light. Upon releasing the evil spirit, Hawk Moth watched it fly through the glass fixture and enter the illuminated city of Paris. _Go now, _he commanded of his Akuma. _Find him. Fill him with the power he needs to crush the Miraculous._ Turning back, the man saw the remainder of the small swarm still hovering in place mere feet away from him. Soon, the white butterflies disbanded one by one, each latching on to their so-called master's left arm. "What is happening?" the dark Miraculous exclaimed as he attempted in vain to shake the creatures off. Despite his struggles, the white spirits clung to his sleeve, and more came to join them. "I did not order this! I command you, all of you, get back!" The glowing beings flapped their wings, their grasp unchanging. Soon, they began to lay their faces upon Hawk Moth's arm, and slowly started to consume the dark costume he had clothed himself in. "No! Stop this now!"

Suddenly, the cover in the center of Gabriel's lair opened as the platform rose up, allowing Nathalie to run to her dearest friend's side. "Sir, I heard you struggle," she fearfully exclaimed. "I don't understand: What's happening?"

"I don't know!" Hawk Moth declared as he swiped at the creatures threatening to consume him. "You should _not_ have come here!"

Without hesitation, Nathalie began clawing and thrusting her hands at the white spirits, forcing them to part from their prey. "I _won't_ let anything happen to you, sir!" she declared as her furious motions continued. "No matter the cost, I _will_ protect you!" Even as both Hawk Moth and his assistant struggled, the swarm continued to gather around them. There seemed to be no end to their rampage, but Nathalie refused to relent.

Their wings flapping faster and faster every second, the wicked swarm began gnawing at both Hawk Moth and Nathalie without remorse or hesitation. Blood began to swell and leak from fresh wounds brought on by either the teeth or legs of the white spirits as they plunged into their prey. Despite his power, Hawk Moth was able to defend himself only with sheer brute force, though it proved too little. At the same time, Nathalie aimed only to protect her friend, leaving her subject to the butterflies' terrible, needful hunger. Despite all her pain, though, she endured, for him.

After an hour of struggling, their bodies battered, exhausted, torn in so many places, and releasing small streams of blood, Hawk Moth and Nathalie found themselves on the cold, reddened floor of the observatory. His eyes red and shedding tears of blood and his jacket all but tattered, Hawk Moth tried desperately to catch his breath as the white butterflies returned to silence in the upper corners of the room.

Her glasses lying on the ground, cracked, her hair loose and down, and clothed only in a thin layer of wilted fabric that soon fell from her body, Nathalie looked over at her beloved friend, saw his pain and his wounds, and slowly crawled towards him on bloodied knees. Before the man took notice, the purple-haired woman wrapped her exposed and bleeding arms gently around his neck, resting upon his shoulders, as she closed her eyes and slowly draped her naked body around his lightly armored exterior. "Thank God you're alright," she passionately whispered as she slowly pulled herself closer. "You're alright…You're alright. I saved you…It's all over now."

Hawk Moth watched in horror as the assistant he had known and trusted for years tightly held him, her closed eyes flowing with tears, her unkempt hair draped over her scratched shoulders, her breasts swollen and nipples tender as she drew closer and closer to him, and her blood-stained lips pouring forth desperate thanks. Her heart beating faster than ever before, her mind wracked with the weight of terror and the possibility of a horrible loss, Nathalie found herself unafraid and weakened by the nightmarish thought of what could have been. Never had Gabriel seen her in this light. The very sight of it disgusted him and filled his mind and body with a rage so pure it seemed to burn him. Forcing himself onto his legs, causing Nathalie to dangle before her bloodied feet once more touched the ground, the dark Miraculous tightly clenched the woman's throat with his left hand and caused her arms to drop at her sides.

"Sir, please," Nathalie desperately choked out as her heart began to pound violently and fearfully. "Please… All I wanted was to protect you…"

Focusing the last of his strength, Hawk Moth charged forward and smashed his assistant against the cold, steel wall next to his glass window into Paris, his teeth tightly gritted and his eyes burning with hatred. "_Never_," he roared with a voice that scarcely resembled that of Gabriel Agreste or even Hawk Moth. "_Never_ lay your filthy hands on me that way again!" Nathalie felt her body become fully limp as fear coursed through her core and into her extremities. "You are _nothing_ to me! You are _nothing_ compared to _her_! Consider yourself lucky I have chosen to spare you this time. Should you _ever_ offer yourself to me in such an obscene manner, especially within _her_ presence, I will not hesitate to offer you up to my Akuma…Do you understand me?"

As hot, shameful tears of fear, pain, a loss of passion, rejection, and self-disgust welled up and streamed from her reddened eyes, Nathalie nodded her pale head and choked out a compliant and subordinate, "Yes, sir." With that, Hawk Moth released her, causing her to collapse against the wall once her knees and bottom hit the floor. Desperately gasping for air, her throat throbbing and raw, the long-suffering woman allowed her hair to drape over her face, if only to hide her shame.

"Now, get out," Hawk Moth snarled, turning away from the woman who had served him selflessly and tirelessly for years. "I have no more need of you tonight."

"Yes, sir," Nathalie sobbed as she slowly struggled to her trembling feet.

"From this moment on, the two of us are nothing more than business associates," the dark Miraculous declared with an icy spite in his voice. "To me, you have no name, no identity, and no respect due."

"Sir, no, _please_!" Nathalie begged, thrusting her right arm outward towards the heartless beast before her. "I…I can't live like this. Please, I need you if I'm going to continue this life! _Please_, sir!"

"Silence!" Hawk Moth roared. "Leave me!" The man's words burned with hatred. In response, the purple-haired woman hung her head in shame and defeat, crossed her arms to conceal her shamed, swollen breasts, and silently made her way back to the platform that lowered her into the office below. "…Emilie…forgive me," he whispered once his assistant was gone. In the darkness and loneliness that had not hurt this terrible in so long, Hawk Moth released Nooroo, returned to his human form, and fell to his knees, allowing the palms of his hands to catch him before his face could collide with the cold ground. In his personal surrender, Gabriel felt the Akuma he had released quickly wither and die without fulfilling its purpose, only to blow away like embers on a cold wind.

Incapable of speaking, the butterfly Kwami floated to his master's side and placed his tiny hand on his shoulder. For the years he had known and served the creature that was once Gabriel Agreste, Nooroo had watched him endure so much pain and inflict so much self-hatred on who he was and what he was doing. Over those years, the Kwami had tried to help his master change his ways and let the darkness wash away, but to no avail. Now, all he could do was comfort Gabriel in the most basic of ways.

Allowing the hot water of her personal shower to wash the blood and spiritual filth from her pale body, Nathalie tightly closed her eyes as they continued to drip with bitter tears as she clenched her shoulders and guarded her breasts. Through the hiss of the stream, through the sound-proof walls surrounding her that only allowed sound from the observatory to slip through, the long-suffering was able to let out her cries and screams until her throat grew raw. For so long, she had worked tirelessly, pining away and holding her feelings inside day after day, night after night, all without regret. All the while, she wanted nothing more than to support her beloved friend in the fleeting hopes of bringing his long-lost wife back into his arms, and to see true happiness return to the boy she could never become a mother to. However, there was always something else, something more frightening beneath the surface of all she said and did: The feeling was entirely alien to her, though the deepest, purest, and most vulnerable part of Nathalie Sancoeur, which had been kept crushed, silent, and caged for decades, knew what it truly was. But now, after all that had happened, and all she had done, she would never be allowed to accept that most sacred of feelings, much less experience it for herself. After several minutes, the bleeding finally stopped.

Though the night had entered its depths, Nathalie no longer felt a sense of urgency or a need for sleep once the faucet was shut off and her breath had slowed. Stepping out from the glass box that had kept her sheltered, the purple-haired woman walked onto a soft matt that warmed her aching feet, leaned forward, and wiped the fog from the mirror before her. Nathalie gazed at her reflection: Her pale skin reflected the unrelenting light above its surface, as if to expose her shame, her bloodshot eyes were still damp with old tears, her soaked hair draped over her cut and clawed shoulders and neck, her lips dry and lightly slit from the struggle, her creased stomach small and receding from days spent nearly starving, and her breasts hanging from her chest and lifting with each breath she took. She had never been so ugly in her own eyes.

The feeling of filthiness and shame seemed to decay her body from the inside out as she stared at the hideous woman that stared back at her without mercy. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, trying with all her might not to break down crying again. Despite maintaining what shred of composure she still held, Nathalie watched as her reflection began to release an endless stream of tears from her eyes. Thrusting back in terror, the woman quickly wiped her eyes, only to find them slightly damp. Returning her gaze to the mirror, her image, though frightened, shed no tears. "…What's happening to us?" she sobbed, her voice reduced to little more than a choking whisper.

Her arms beginning to tremble once more, Nathalie tightly clenched the rim of her sink and used it to support her weight. Within her stomach, what felt like a violent storm began to form, creating a pain and nausea that forced the woman to cover her mouth with her hand and double over even further. Images of her failed attempts to comfort Gabriel flashed through Nathalie's mind as flashbacks filled with her mother's screaming, swearing, and beatings tore through like fire through paper. It was all too much: It was as if the wicked voice of the long-forgotten mother had returned to shame and disgrace her daughter once more in her darkest hours. Falling to her knees, her hands still clenching the sink, Nathalie let her head drop as she desperately gasped and exhaled, trying with all her might to fill her empty lungs with oxygen. It didn't take long to grow lightheaded, all the while suffering with nausea that refused to cease. As hot tears once more fell from her weary, reddened eyes, the long-suffering woman watched as the small, salty drops fall into her lap.

All hope seemed lost, all comfort had left the cold, dark world, and the hellish womb of despair opened itself wide to swallow the beaten, broken woman that had once been Nathalie Sancoeur. Suddenly, after closing her eyes, the lonely soul felt a soft, gentle embrace upon her right shoulder. Though its texture was that of a feather, the embrace itself could be nothing other than the hand of a loving man or woman. Upon feeling that touch, Nathalie was able to calm herself, lower her shoulders and release the tension they held, and let out a sigh of joyful relief before laying down on her right side and closing her eyes. For the first time in so long, her sleep was pure and untouched by nightmares or bad memories. _"Come find me, Nathalie," _a strange, distant, yet caring voice begged of the woman. _"Please. We'll never have to be alone or afraid ever again. Come find me, Nathalie."_


	4. The Blessing

Mayura

The Blessing

"You were each given your Miraculous for a reason," Master Fu explained as he sat atop the hardwood floor of his apartment. His gray hair had grown longer with age, as had his mustache, though he forced his body to support his mind and spirit. Marinette, Adrien, and Alya listened intently, each of them barely blinking as their new master spoke. "It 'twas not _only_ for deh purpose of protecting Paris, but because _each_ of you had need of deh Miraculous, and deh Kwami that dwelled within, dat you were chosen."

Marinette glanced over at Tikki, and the two warmly smiled at one another. "Marinette," the elderly man addressed the newest in the line of Ladybugs.

"Yes, Master?" the dark-haired young woman answered with a slight bow of her head.

"Tell me, why do you think it was you and Tikki found one another?" Master Fu challenged his student.

"Well, when I found Tikki, I was very young," Marinette recalled that fateful day. "At the time, I had friends, but I was shy and afraid. I could never say what was on my mind, and I always looked _down_ on myself. Tikki accepted me immediately. She's still one of the best friends I've _ever_ had. When I was growing up, she taught me to be strong and confident. I'm, well, still working on that as Marinette, but it was critical as Ladybug. I'm learning to stand up for myself and see the good I have to offer, instead of always looking at my flaws. Thank you, Master Fu, for brining Tikki and I together. And thank _you_, Tikki, for being such an amazing friend." At that, Marinette and Tikki lovingly hugged one another, their smiling faces gently rubbing against one another.

"And through Ladybug's attitude and kindness, deh citizens of Paris have found a hero, who has guided dem through dark times and inspired dem with her strength," the old master explained. "But, Ladybug could _not_ exist without Marinette's bond with Tikki. Dey complete one another. Now, Adrien, why did you and Plagg find one another?"

Adrien quickly looked at his Kwami before turning to his teacher. "Well, Master, it took me a long time to release Plagg from the Miraculous," the blond-haired young man began his answer. "But, when I did, I was afraid. At the time, I never thought I was capable of…_anything_, really. But, Plagg reminded me that I had good in me, and that I had something to fight for. I messed up at first, but he helped keep me from giving up. Thanks to him and Ladybug, I walked away from all the pain and anger from my past and managed to become a _real_ hero."

"Thanks, kid," Plagg warmly declared. "…I'm not gonna _hug_ you or anything gross like that, though." At that, Adrien chuckled.

"Yes, despite Plagg's unconventional methods and strange behavior, he has helped shape you into deh hero Paris and Ladybug could rely on," Master Fu declared with a slight smile. "Your journey will never come to an end until deh end of your days, but your friendship with Plagg has prevented you from succumbing to darkness. For dat, I am truly thankful." Adrien and Plagg warmly smiled at one another. "Alya, deh newest of my Miraculous, why do you believe Trixx was given to you?"

"Is _that_ how it happened?" the fox Kwami jokingly spoke up.

"Hush, you," Alya replied with a chuckle. "Yes, Master. Um, I think Trixx and I found each other because, well, I was in a pretty bad place at the time. I mean, I felt like all I was good for was coming up with lies to protect Ladybug and _Chat Noir's_ secrets. I started stress-eating again, and I was getting disgusted with myself. In the short time we've known each other, Trixx taught me to _feel_ my emotions, instead of eating them. She's also helped me find ways to get beyond my compulsive habits."

"Dat is only deh beginning, Alya," the aged man declared. "You will find dat your heart is deeper dan problems you face on deh surface. Dere is more to you dan you know. During your time with Trixx, you will be forced to face a darkness dat has been sleeping within you, but your friendship will lead you to deh light you have prayed for."

Filled with concern and unease, Alya turned her troubled eyes toward her Kwami, who gently touched her finger to comfort her.

"Dhough your powers may seem a burden," Master Fu continued, his voice still heavy. "And dhough you have struggled, and will _continue_ to struggle, you must never forget dat it is all a _blessing_. A storm is coming…one _I_ may not be able to endure, but you and your Kwami must work together, and light Paris' darkest hour."

The three Miraculous and their Kwami each bowed their heads, each of them troubled by what their teacher had told them. However, his words also gave them hope.

"Master…" Marinette spoke up with deep concern in her voice. "If our Miraculous found us for a reason, why did Hawk Moth turn to evil?"

Releasing a heavy breath laden with sorrow and pain, the elderly man closed his weary eyes as his head rose towards the sky. "In deh presence of despair, when all seems hopeless, deh ones who stand with Angels believed Nooroo and deh butterfly Miraculous could soothe and save deh soul of a broken man…But, we learned far too late…dat we were mistaken. Instead of using his power to warm and empower deh world, Hawk Moth chose to succumb to deh darkness dat had hungered for him for so long…He chose to swallow all hope, and to try to raise himself up as a god. Deh Miraculous destroyed him, despite its intention, and despite our hopes…His tragedy haunts us all to dis day. Now, I fear, deh three of you must atone for dat mistake."

"But, shouldn't Nooroo have been able to save him?" Adrien asked as his heart continued to pound.

"Adrien, dere are those who _will_ not allow demselves to be saved," Master Fu gravely answered. "No amount of persuasion can move deh heart if it has hardened itself. And now, I believe it is dat pain dat renders him incapable of controlling his Akuma… My heart breaks for him every day, but I cannot touch him. I do not _even_ know who he is."

"Is he the _only_ one who uses a Miraculous to do evil?" Alya asked, her right arm pressing into her stomach to dull its pain and nervous butterflies.

"…Dere is one more Miraculous dat has been lost," the weary man confessed. "We do not know how, but it has been broken beyond repair…Its purpose clouded and distorted, it cannot be found, nor can its true reason be realized. I fear it still lingers on, though." The three Miraculous shared a deeply troubled glance among themselves.

"…Master, how many Miraculous _are_ there?" Marinette asked. At this, the wise, old man turned his eyes to his Ladybug.

Opening her swollen, tired eyes to find herself naked and curled into a fetal position atop her bathroom mat, Nathalie slowly clenched her stiff hands into fists to assure herself they still had feeling. Slowly, she pulled herself into a seated position and weakly rose onto her feet, though her knees threatened to fail her. Even now, she was disgusted by the reflection that stared back at her in the mirror. All too soon, the sweet dream she had dreamed came to an immediate and crushing end: _Nathalie and Gabriel had held one another tightly as they danced atop the Agreste Mansion under the beautiful stars that blessed the sacred sky of night. All the lights of Paris seemed to shine around them as they gazed into their lover's eyes. There were no more Miraculous, no Akuma, and nothing to suffer from or die for. In that perfect moment, there was peace and certainty: Love was the absolute, and they were both so happy. There were no more secrets and no more misunderstandings. There was no more reason to cry, save for tears of joy._ Having woken up, Nathalie found herself alone and ashamed , her naked body covered in bites and scratches. "…Why do I have to dream like that?" she sobbed weakly. "Why do I have to keep seeing how life _could_ have been?" Looking up to the sky, the purple-haired woman allowed the last remaining tears to fall from her eyes. "Why do You let these things happen to me?" she begged, only to lower her head and leave the bathroom in shame.

After her many wounds had been dressed and mended and her eyes dried, Nathalie dressed in her normal, black suit and skirt, tied her hair back into an elegant bun, donned her spare glasses, and applied a thin layer of pink lip gloss to cover the cuts she had received the night before returning to her post. Within the first, agonizing hour, she was alone. Adrien had said the night before that Marinette would be escorting him to his Chinese instructor's studio, from which he wasn't expected to return until noon. Gabriel, on the other hand, was nowhere to be found. No longer in his good graces, the woman knew she had no right to go to her employer, much less try to save him. Lowering her head in shame, Nathalie let out a heavy sigh and began dusting the living room. Despite her filthiness, despite her ugliness, she had a purpose, and a reason. Her work could save her from all she had done, and all she lacked. This was her blessing.

Keeping her eyes on the clock, her anxious, twisted stomach pained her with a feeling almost indistinguishable from excitement as she fearfully awaited Gabriel's presence. This awful feeling was an unhappy page from the miserable chapters of her childhood: _She must have been about thirteen, she recalled, when she sat on the living room floor, dressed in only her t-shirt and panties after having cut the grass in the hot sun. Her body was still moist with sweat as her forehead slowly pounded. When the time came, her mother entered the house, just as the child had been dreading, greeted her daughter, and froze in the doorway. "Don't you have anything to say about last night?" she asked with an almost sinister smile on her pale face._

"…_No," Nathalie answered in a sharp tone._

"…_You woke your father and I up in the middle of the night…and you're not even going to __**apologize**__ for it?" The woman's pleasant tone quickly faded as a rising anger, if not hatred, boiled and bubbled to the surface._

_The previous night had been terrible: Self-hate and regret had kept the child awake until nearly one in the morning, and when it all became too much, she had snuck into her parent's bedroom and gently woke her father. However, the mother had awakened as well. Swearing under her breath just loud enough for Nathalie to hear, the cold-hearted woman did all she could to make her suffering daughter feel filthy and guilty._

"…_I'm sorry you woke up," Nathalie finally declared, avoiding eye contact as much as possible._

"_You only think of yourself," the girl's mother scolded with rage and disgust in her sickening snarl of a voice. "Your father couldn't fall back asleep after you woke him up…We both had work in the morning. Don't you __**ever**__ think of others instead of yourself? You're a selfish, spoiled girl. You obsess over something as stupid as something you said in class, but you don't have the __**character**__ to think about your parents? If there's something you __**should**__ be ashamed of, it's how you treat your father and I…"_

The sound of slow and calm footsteps descending the stairs returned Nathalie to her present, though her past still lingered in her mind like a bad dream. Fixing his tie as he stepped onto the living room floor, Gabriel walked in front of his assistant without making eye contact.

"Good morning, sir," the purple-haired woman greeted her employer in the most professional voice she could form. Years ago, she was a master of concealing her emotions. Now, her old survival skill would have to serve her once more. She had no courage, nor right, to try to apologize for the night before. This was all she had.

Gabriel continued on his way without hesitation or pause, making the impact burn all the more. _I hate Hawk Moth, _the woman snarled in her mind. _I hate the Miraculous. I hate the Akuma, the butterfly, the powers…I hate __**all**__ of it! I hate them, for taking you away from me._ Once Gabriel was out of sight, Nathalie bit her lip until she nearly reopened the wound, before falling silently to her knees. _You were supposed to be there for __**me**__! …Not __**them**__! …Not even her… _The image of Emilie Agreste, long since darkened and distorted, flashed through the woman's mind, and nearly drove her to tears. "…I loved you _too_, Emilie," Nathalie whispered through the aching lump in her throat. "But…you're gone now. I don't want to let you go…but you can't be there for me anymore. And I can't be there for _you_…I _tried_…I tried for so long. But Emilie, it just hurts too much now. Please understand…" The last of her composure gone, Nathalie felt hot tears beginning to well up in her eyes. "…So why can't he love _me_ now?"

As her silence she was forced into held her like a cage, the purple-haired woman jolted at the sound of the electric doorbell at the gate. Turning to the nearest clock, Nathalie's jaw dropped when she found herself still cleaning the same wall she had begun with, come noon. Despite her shock and the surge of dulled memories from the past two hours, she collected herself, looked at the feed from a security camera on her tablet, and made her way to the door. Nathalie pressed a button on her tablet to open the gate, stood before the door, and pulled its handle back to allow her charge and his escort inside.

"Thanks, Nathalie," Adrien happily greeted his guardian as he and Marinette walked inside. "You remember my friend…"

"Marinette, right?" Nathalie declared with a restrained smile.

"Yes, ma'am," Marinette answered, unable to contain her bewilderment. "How do you remember me?"

"Well, Marinette, not many young women greet me with a 'hello' and ask if I'm Master Adrien's girlfriend," the purple-haired woman recalled, much to Marinette's embarrassment and Adrien's surprise. "You're a charming young lady, Marinette. I'm glad Master Adrien has a friend like you."

Blushing, the dark-haired young woman avoided eye contact. "Thank you," she squeaked out. Finally mustering the courage to look the beautiful woman in the eyes, Marinette suddenly froze.

"Are you alright?" Nathalie asked with genuine concern in her voice.

"…You've been crying," Marinette exclaimed with true sorrow and empathy in her words. "…Is everything okay?" Adrien turned towards his guardian with concern in his eyes.

Caught off-guard, Nathalie hesitated for a second before gently pressing her lips back together and donning a false smile. "…There's nothing to worry about, Marinette," she lied almost effortlessly. "Thank you for your concern, though. If the two of you will excuse me." Smiling, the purple-haired woman bowed slightly before departing from the room.

"How'd you know she'd been crying?" Adrien asked once Nathalie was too far to hear him.

"I'm not sure," Marinette answered. "When I looked at her, I just kind of…knew."

"…I've been worried about her," the blond young man confessed. "Nathalie's hurting, but she won't talk about it."

"Do you have any idea what's going on with her?" Marinette replied.

"I _don't_," Adrien answered. "She never really talks about herself. I thought it was because of what happened with those Akumatized, but I don't know."

"I wish there was something I could do," the dark-haired young woman exclaimed. "I'm sorry, Adrien."

"No, Marinette, it's…I think this is something _I've_ gotta do," Adrien answered, his voice gentle. "Nathalie's like family to me. No, she _is_ family. I'll talk to her tonight. Thank you for walking me home."

"Don't mention it," Marinette replied with a smile. Leaning forward, the young woman kissed her friend on his right cheek. "Good luck."

"Thanks," the blond young man warmly returned his friend's gesture. "Be careful, okay?"

"I will," Marinette answered with a nod before turning around and departing from the Agreste mansion. Turning her head back slightly, the raven-haired girl called out, "She's lucky to have you, Adrien. You're a blessing."


	5. A Beautiful Lie

Mayura

A Beautiful Lie

Finding herself waking up on the living room couch, her head fuzzy and her memory blurred, Nathalie slowly rose into a seated position as her mind tried desperately to flash back to the feverish dream she had just experienced. Though it felt like hours had passed, the woman knew the vision had come recently.

_Distorted by fog and unnatural sources of light, a beautiful, tear-demanding scene began to play itself out: Nathalie lay atop an elegant bed no smaller than king-sized, its sheets creased and unmade. Draped only in a loose-fitting, black silk nightgown that hugged only her dressed, the woman's long, dark hair spread around her head like a halo atop the roughened bedspread as her smoke-stained eyes gently shifted from the serene yet unclear sky above to the room she now rested in. Her breath silent but heavy, she felt her tender breasts rise and sink down dramatically as her skin struggled to contain the passionate beating of her fluttering heart. At last, he reentered the room, dressed in grey silk and a radiant, purple tie that blew like a loose scarf upon unseen winds, still buttoning the cuffs around his wrists, and staring at the one he had longed for. Nathalie's breaths grew louder and heavier as she reached out her pale left arm and allowed her hand to sink downward for him to take._

_Graciously receiving his beloved's delicate fingers into his own, feeling every tiny embrace like a surge of electricity, the man slowly raised her hand up to his moist lips and kissed it as he gently wrapped his right hand around her left forearm, just below her elbow. As his single kiss spawned more, the man's right hand slowly glided upward until it petted her upper arm. Upon sliding the very tips of his fingers along the woman's soft shoulder, the woman's lover gently pressed into her skin, drawing a sigh of ecstasy from her very heart as the radiant sensation sent goose bumps down her arm and over her entire body._

_His bare, muscular, tight chest and toned stomach exposed, the man discarded his glasses as Nathalie ran her hands from the edges of his forehead through the sides of his supple, warm hair, her mouth agape with utter fascination. Taking the woman's left arm yet again, the man delicately squelched her wrist and slowly made his way up her arm from embrace to embrace. At last, he made his way to her shoulder, kissed it passionately, and lovingly ran his fingers under the strap of her gown. Nodding her head in consent, Nathalie saw a glimmer of hope flash in her lover's eye as he carefully slid the strap down her arm and followed with her right arm. His movements reverent, almost to the point of worship, the man made vulnerable placed his right palm atop the neckline of his beloved's gown, allowed his fingers to slide beneath it, and slowly dragged it down with no more than his lightly trembling finger tips._

_Nathalie's breath grew heavier as the air seemed to vanish from her lungs as her nipples tightened and her heart took to flight. Once her entire body, so pale, pure, soft, and masterful, was exposed, the man cast the woman's clothing to the shadows of the room as he adored her holy shape and form. Her lips moist and open, Nathalie whispered a precious secret, and the man lay down atop her. Their breasts pressing against one another, each lover felt the other's heartbeat against their own as an undeniable warmth overtook their bodies. Wrapping her arms around Gabriel's neck, Nathalie let out a joyous sigh of surrender as she kissed his beautiful, heavenly lips._

Finding herself sitting alone atop a couch whose surface had grown cold around her, Nathalie looked down at her hand as it rested all alone. For only a second, the woman searched for her lover, only to remember she had nothing. She was alone, shamed, and surely left for dead in a house that was no longer a home. As she lowered her weary, pounding head in despair, Nathalie felt a gentle little hand touch her shoulder, though she knew no one was there.

"_I _haven't forgotten," a woman's familiar yet childlike voice assured its lonely audience. Her head jolting towards the source of the sound, the purple-haired woman saw nothing and no one within the room. Though she could not see the one that called to her, Nathalie knew she must have been an angel from Heaven. "Find me…"

Unable to fight the image her mind knew to be her true destination, Nathalie stood up and attempted to walk away from what she refused to understand. The truth no longer served a purpose to her, and no joy would come from its discovery, she knew.

"Hey, Nathalie?" a truly familiar voice spoke up, turning the woman's head. His warm, loving eyes gazing with concern at the woman who had become a surrogate mother to him, Adrien slowly approached his guardian. "Nathalie, are you alright? Um, no…No, I don't mean that…I _know_ that something is wrong. Please, tell me. Let me help you."

Her eyes glossy, the purple-haired woman walked towards her charge, her face expressing confusion and yet, a sense of purpose as she slowly raised her arms and ran her fingers through his wavy blond hair. "…You look so much like your mother, Adrien," she exclaimed with sorrow in her voice. Sensing his guardian's pain, Adrien stood still and allowed her the comfort she needed.

As images of Emilie, her kindness, and the promise she brought of a brighter tomorrow began to flood through Nathalie's mind, she felt a crushing sorrow overtake her heart, only for Emilie's true nature to wash over her and dry her tears. Emilie's memory soothed what the cruel world had tried so hard to take.

"Aren't you supposed to be working?" Gabriel's harsh voice broke the silence. "The dining hall looks a mess, and I won't…"

"Father, _no_," Adrien declared with forcefulness in his voice. "…I can't let Nathalie do any work today…_I'm_ going to spend the day with her. She should be around someone she can _talk_ to."

"I don't like the manner you're speaking to me, son," Gabriel replied, his voice like that of a snake. "Remember, I am your father and the master of this house."

"Yes, but Nathalie's job is to take care of _me_," the blond young man boldly retorted, his voice one of concern and not of anger. "And, today, _I _need her. We're going into town, Father. We'll be back later."

Before anyone could utter a word of complaint, Adrien took his guardian's hand and quickly walked her through the room and out the door, leaving Gabriel alone. Staring at the door as it shut, the man tightened his eyes as feelings he could not yet fathom began to flood his mind.

Walking down the sidewalk, Adrien refused to let his friend's hand go. "I'm so sorry for how he's been treating you," he exclaimed, nearly on the verge of tears. "He's always so cold, but I can tell you're in pain."

"Adrien, you're not allowed to leave the house like this," Nathalie attempted to dissuade her charge. "Your father only wants what's best for you."

"No, Nathalie, he only cares about _himself_," the blond young man insisted. "Besides, this isn't for me…I want to be here for _you_."

"Adrien, stop this!" the purple-haired woman commanded, stopping the boy immediately. "Your father _loves_ you. Everything he does is for you…I am his employee. I have an obligation to him to fulfill the duties he has given me."

"Aren't _I_ one of your duties?" Adrien replied with a growing sense of pain in his voice. "Didn't you say you'd always be there for me? Didn't you promise?" Nathalie's glance shifted towards the ground. "Nathalie, you're not just one of my dad's assistants…You're my friend. You're a part of my family…The way he treats you is _wrong_. Please…The thing I need now, more than anything, is to know you're okay. All I'm asking is just one day in the sun…That's all I need."

"…You truly are your mother's son," Nathalie gave in with a smile. Adrien smiled back at his surrogate mother and continued down the sidewalk with her hand in his own.

Despite the looming darkness of the morning, which now seemed like a lifetime ago, the day proved bright and warm as a cool breeze blessed the land and all who stood upon it. As they followed an undecided path, Nathalie glanced over at Adrien and couldn't help but see the days they would spend together. Although the times were at their purest when Gabriel and Emilie walked with them, every walk Nathalie and Adrien went on with just one another was sacred. During Emilie's final days, as her thin, pale body lay at rest within a sterile hospital room, the purple-haired woman spent most of the time not devoted to sitting at her sweetest friend's side trying to comfort the confused and suffering child. Now, he was doing the same for her.

Stopping at a park near the Dupain-Cheng family's bakery, the two sat beside one another atop a green bench. Not far in the distance stood a life-size marble statue commemorating Ladybug and _Chat Noir_ while depicting them rushing into action. Nathalie glanced at the image for a moment, conflicted by her feelings toward the young heroes, and the truth she was forced to hide. Until recently, she had allowed herself to separate her employer and beloved friend's mission with the Miraculous' heroic deeds. Now, the harsh reality was beginning to set in, and the line between good and evil blurred even further. Turning away, the woman settled for a sight infinitely more comforting: Adrien, the boy she had known and loved since his birth, now a young man, smiling at a group of children as they made their way through the park with a woman who must have been their mother.

"…Your mother used to be the same way," Nathalie warmly declared.

"Huh?" Adrien replied as he turned to his guardian.

"She loved children," the purple-haired woman explained. "No matter what she was going through, she always managed to smile for them. Whenever they'd smile back, her eyes would light up. Even now…you look _so_ much like her, Adrien."

"Thanks, Nathalie," Adrien warmly accepted the compliment. "…I miss her, a lot."

"I do too," Nathalie answered with a sigh. "The only sin she ever committed…was leaving too soon." At any other moment, the sorrowful words that slipped through the woman's mouth would never have been allowed, but her ailing mind and unhappy heart now spoke louder than her reason or care.

Folding his hands, the blond young man nodded his head. "…Yeah," he choked out under the weight of a painful agreement. "Yeah, I think you're right."

"Adrien, I didn't mean…" the woman attempted to reclaim her grace.

"How could she leave me, Nathalie?" Adrien begged as his eyes quickly filled with tears. As he looked up at his guardian, she found it hard to believe he was no longer the child who needed her protection. "I mean…I know she was sick, but…couldn't she have stayed? Just a little longer? …Why wasn't I enough to make her stay?"

As the suffering young man lowered his head and wept without fear or shame, he soon felt a gentle and loving hand, like that of his long-lost mother, rest upon his left shoulder. "You were, Adrien," Nathalie assured him with no trace of doubt in her voice. "But the disease was too much for her body to take. She fought so hard to stay with you…" Images flashed through the purple-haired woman's mind, showing her Emilie's desperate expression as she struggled so greatly to take in breath as streams of blood flowed from her nostrils in that sterile hospital bed. "…And I'm so sorry you couldn't say goodbye to her, one last time."

Snuffing back and trying to maintain enough composure to speak, Adrien's voice cracked until it was distorted by his pain and sorrow. "I don't hate her for leaving," he managed to force out as his reddened eyes flowed with hot tears and his nostrils released thick streams of mucus. "I just…Why does everybody leave me?" Throwing himself forward, the young man buried his face in Nathalie's inner shoulder as his arms wrapped tightly around her ribs.

Started at first, the woman soon lowered all defenses and placed her arms around the child's back, hushed him lovingly, and gently stroked his trembling shoulders with the love of a mother. "It's alright, Adrien," she spoke just above a whisper. "It's alright…She knows you're in pain. She doesn't blame you." Coughing out muffled cries of sadness repressed for far too long, Adrien allowed himself to receive the love he had once fought as a child. "It's okay, Adrien. I'm here. I'm right here beside you… _Everything_ will be okay."

_Years ago, Nathalie had stood alone at the tree she and Emilie had planted in their younger days. Just a sapling when their softer hands had placed it in the soil, the fruit of their labor now stood tall and proud, its branches extending in all directions. Clenching her fists, the woman swore at the wind as she thrust her foot against the tree's base over and over again. "You said you'd never leave me alone!" she cried out, just before the tears began to fall. "You promised! So why the hell aren't you here?" Gritting her teeth, Nathalie soon fell to her knees and dropped her head. "Damn you for leaving me, Emilie. Damn you…" The suffering woman then spread her arms and embraced the tree she had planted with her beloved friend. "I'll…never forgive you for that, Emilie…" Burying her face as she would with a sister, Nathalie tightly clenched her eyes shut as the image of a blond angel wrapped her arms around her back._

"…I miss her too, Adrien," Nathalie confessed in a whisper as she tightly held her beloved boy.

Once their tears finally dried, the two continued through the park. The expression of sorrow had paved the path for peace and relief to once again shine within their troubled hearts. Running ahead, Adrien stopped at a yellow bench. "Nathalie," he called out. "You remember when I was five and we came here together?"

"No, Adrien, you came here by yourself, and I chased after you," the purple-haired woman replied as a sneaky smile crept across her face. "By the time I found you, you were out of breath and resting on this same bench. I trapped you in a bear hug and laid down on top of you. I think we spent the rest of the afternoon like that." The two laughed before sitting down upon the old, yellow bench.

Making their way to a small cart, Adrien ordered Nathalie's favorite snack, split it in two, and handed the larger of the pieces to her. Unaffected by the stress or nausea that had plagued her for days, Nathalie smiled and took a bite, permitting Adrien to do the same.

As the two went about their way through the city, Nathaniel, Alix, and Ivan crossed their path, giving a quick wave as a greeting, and continued without looking back. "Whoa, she was hot," Ivan exclaimed without knowing who Nathalie was or that she could hear him clearly. Stunned, the woman blushed and inspired a good-natured chuckle from her charge. After a moment, Nathalie was able to find the humor as well, and promptly joined in.

"So, are you and that Marinette girl pretty close?" the purple-haired woman asked as she and Adrien watched the city grow smaller as their small, black cart rose up in a circular rotation.

Blushing, the young man felt his heart begin to pound. "Um, I mean…I-I like her, but…" he stammered, feeling the uncomfortably warm sweat forming on the back of his neck. "We're just… We're just friends, you know? I mean…I _like_ her, but…It just…won't work out right now."

Nathalie's face took on a sympathetic smile as she placed her hand upon Adrien's. "I understand," she warmly answered. "Does she know how you feel?" Adrien nodded his head. "And she feels the same way?"

"I think so," the blond boy confessed. "I mean, we…" As Adrien spoke, the holy image of the kiss Ladybug and _Chat Noir_ shared began to glisten in his mind. "…We tried, for a while, but she said there was…just too much going on right now for us to really…_be_ something. I'm just afraid that…when it's all over, she might not feel the same way about me anymore. I keep thinking she's going to find someone better."

"Adrien, I've known you since the day you were born," Nathalie sharply replied in a nearly scolding voice. "You are a sweet, caring, kindhearted young man. There is no one _better_ than you. Things don't always work out…but that doesn't mean it's your fault. We're all different, and we all want different things. But, if I ever hear you put yourself down like that again…" _Just because you can't live up to the advice you give, doesn't mean it's wrong for him. _"I'll never forgive you."

Smiling, Adrien nodded his head and forced himself to forgive who he used to be. "…Okay," he promised. "What about you, Nathalie? Is there somebody you've got your eyes on?"

"…No, not at this time."

"You're lying," Adrien declared. "You're really good at keeping secrets, but I can tell when you're lying about the important stuff. Who is it?"

"…Adrien, I've been around a long time," Nathalie began to explain herself as their black cart aligned with the rays of the sun. "There were people in the past I thought I loved: There were people I thought I was meant to be with…But it just wasn't there for me. This isn't the case with you, but love isn't for me in that way. I don't have another half out there looking or waiting for me, so I just gave up on that dream and focused on what was in front of me." Though she had made the same confession to herself so many times, the woman still felt a lump welling up in her throat as those painful words of bitter surrender came out.

"Nathalie, I'm sorry," Adrien replied with sorrow mingled with shame in his voice. "You're an _awesome_ person. I'm sure there's someone out there if that's what you want."

"Thank you, Adrien," the purple-haired woman warmly answered. _What a beautiful lie…_


	6. Deliverance

Mayura

Deliverance

Opening the door for her charge, Nathalie glanced up to see the crimson sky slowly give way to the stars and crescent moon of the coming night. "Thank you, Nathalie," Adrien happily exclaimed as he entered the Agreste mansion.

"It's I who should be thanking _you_, Adrien," the purple-haired woman replied with a weak but meaningful smile. "You were right: I needed to get out and clear my head. Thank you."

"Any time, M…" the young man began before catching himself and disguising his unfinished sentence with a cough. Once they were both inside, Adrien abruptly turned around, threw his arms around his beloved guardian, and held her close for a moment. "I love you, Nathalie," he warmly declared. "Thanks for opening up to me."

Though the weight of her lie slowly became crushing, forcing the feeling of unworthiness back into her unhappy heart, Nathalie's eyes widened in horror for an instant, before she closed them, settled her expression, and slowly wrapped her arms around the boy she loved so dearly. "Thank you for trusting me, Adrien," she choked out. "I love you too."

Once the two separated from their embrace, the sound of naturally quiet footsteps began to resound through the living room. Appearing in the doorway, Gabriel slowly approached Adrien and his maid. "I trust all went well for the two of you," he declared without the presence of emotion. "Adrien, may I have a word with my assistant, please?"

Glancing back at Nathalie, Adrien lowered his glance to the floor beneath his father's feet. "Yeah," he managed to exhale. "See you later, Nathalie."

Once the young man had made his way upstairs, Gabriel approached Nathalie, stopped at a respectful distance, and dropped his arms at his sides. Nathalie avoided eye contact and attempted to slow her pounding heart. The silence was agonizing, until he broke it: "Nathalie, I'm sorry," Gabriel declared, causing his assistant's heart to skip a beat.

"Sir?" the purple-haired woman replied, her entire body beginning to tremble.

"I was wrong to respond to you the way I did," the silver-haired man confessed. "After what you had been through, and all you did to protect me, I had no right to treat you as I did. I was, myself, consumed by fear and guilt. You only responded as a loving friend would, and I was blind to the trauma you had experienced. Please, forgive me."

Knowing the man's words were earnest, the butterflies that had plagued Nathalie's stomach finally calmed, and all of her pain and anger faded, as if neither had existed to begin with. "I forgive you, sir," she warmly declared. "And thank you. I understand your feelings, and…"

Before the woman could finish, Gabriel stepped forward and embraced her for the first time: His strong arms gently yet firmly wrapped around her, and his stern eyes closed as he felt her back under his fingertips. Awestruck, Nathalie forced herself to take in the moment, and timidly raised her hands to gently return the gesture. Though her heart pounded, she remained calm and restrained, all the while smelling and feeling the one she adored. "Not a day goes by that I don't think of her," Gabriel whispered into the woman's ear. "Sometimes the guilt is so great I can't sleep, and the demons begin to take control. Please, forgive the beast that I have become."

"…Only if you'll forgive _my_ demons, sir," Nathalie answered as she closed her eyes and felt Gabriel beneath her trembling fingers. Their embrace, though brief, seemed to last a beautiful lifetime, at least in her eyes.

That night, Nathalie stepped into the doorway of Adrien's open bedroom and tapped on his wall. Setting down the _Valérian and Laureline _comic he had been reading, the young man slid his chair away from his desk and stood up. "Hey, Nathalie," he said with a light tone. "How'd your talk with my dad go?"

"It went very well," the purple-haired woman answered with a casual yet sincere smile. "We talked everything out, and everything is back to normal. Thank you for helping me get through the day, Adrien. I think spending some time apart helped your father and I cool off a bit."

"I'm glad," Adrien warmly replied. "Plus, it was great spending the day with you. We should do that more often."

"Indeed we should," Nathalie answered, her voice professional but joyful. "Anyway, I just stopped by to say goodnight. I'm going to be retiring early tonight."

Walking over to his guardian, Adrien warmly hugged her. "Goodnight, Nathalie," he lovingly declared. "I hope you sleep better tonight."

"I hope you do too, Adrien," the woman answered, her arms crossed around her charge's upper back. "And remember, if you need anything, don't hesitate to wake me. If my room is locked, you know where the key is. Just crack the door and knock first, okay?"

"Will do," Adrien answered as the hug came to a gentle close. "Especially after that one time."

"Yes," Nathalie replied as an uncomfortable memory resurfaced. "…I love you, Adrien."

Though he was hesitant at first, Adrien quickly leaned forward and kissed his surrogate mother on the cheek. "Love you too, Nathalie," he lovingly answered. "I'm here too if you need me."

Once the two parted, Adrien closed his bedroom door, allowing Plagg to float out and eat his nightly block of cheese. "You really love her, don't you?" the Kwami realized.

"I do," Adrien answered with a smile. "She's the best."

"But, you don't love her the same way you love Ladybug, do you?" Plagg expressed his concern. "I mean, it's cool if you like older women and all, but…"

"I don't love her in that way, Plagg," the blond young man snapped. "You pervert. She's like a…She's like a mom to me."

"Aw," the black cat Kwami mockingly exclaimed as he took a seat on his partner's desk. "All joking aside, though…I'm glad you have her. She's a good lady."

"Thanks, man," Adrien said with a smile.

"Don't mention it, kid," Plagg replied. "I'm glad Hawk Moth hasn't been active in a while. That creep _always_ gets in the way of family…and cheese."

"I know," the blond answered as he crossed his hands on the back of his head. "You know, after all these years, we _still_ have no idea who he is, or even what he's really after."

"I'm sure Master Fu knows," the Kwami said. "It's a major sore spot with him, though. Who knows? We might be better off _not_ knowing."

Gently running his hand down the precious tapestry depicting his beloved wife, Gabriel felt hot tears stream freely down his tired eyes. _If only I could touch your face, my love, _he prayed. _Just one more time…_

"You wanted to see me, sir?" Nathalie interrupted her employer's visit.

"Yes, Nathalie," the silver-haired man answered without the slightest sign of the anguish he was in. Turning around, Gabriel's face was free of tears, though his eyes were still red and swollen under his glasses. "As you know, my grip on the Akuma has been slipping. After last night, I considered leaving it behind…but we both know I can't."

"Of course, sir," the purple-haired woman answered, not letting on how much pain Gabriel's statement brought her.

"So, I have decided to isolate each Akuma," the man possessed continued to explain. "If they cannot converge, they pose no threat to me, or you. Furthermore, I have vowed to make a change…I will no longer treat the Akumatized as my pawns: I will share in their pain, as well as their emotions."

"But sir, you once said making that connection could be dangerous," Nathalie desperately interjected.

"Compared to our goal, my life means _nothing_, Nathalie," Gabriel gravely declared. "For her…I would do anything. I can no longer stand idly by out of concern for my own well-being. Everything I do is for her, and for Adrien." Nathalie felt a chill wash over her body as her heart began to pound in fear. "I have found my newest target: We knew him as Evilustrator once, but he has grown since then. This time, he will embrace his anger and rejection to become something _far_ more powerful. Make sure Adrien remains at home tomorrow, Nathalie. His eyes will be set on the school, and I dare not endanger my son again."

Lowering her head in shame and guilt, Nathalie ignored her conscience once again. "Yes, sir," she submitted. "But, please, try not to let him harm anyone, especially the other students."

"I will do my best," Hawk Moth's menacing voice answered as the transformative dark-light formed around Gabriel's body. Once the transformation was completed, the dark Miraculous stood before his assistant, his body covered entirely and only by his dull-silver metallic uniform, which seemed to flow with strands of purple energy. "Until then, I must groom my chosen Akuma." Turning towards the tapestry, Hawk Moth entered his code, and his platform rose up to his lair once more.

"…Have mercy on us all," the long-suffering woman prayed. "And please…know that we don't do this for our own sake." As her fear and disgust resurfaced, Nathalie felt tears begin to stream down her cheeks. _What's happened to you? _she asked of her dear friend. _…What's happening to me?_

"_Everything will be alright, Nathalie," _the familiar voice from before whispered once again. Turning towards the source of that voice, Nathalie found herself staring face-to-face with Emilie's framed portrait, and the peacock-feather clip in front of it. _"You have the power to make __**everything**__ alright, Nathalie…Please, save me…so that __**we**__ can save __**him**__."_

Her arm trembling, Nathalie let her lips part as the pounding of her heart seemed to merge with her heavy breaths. Her fears and convictions all becoming second nature, the woman slowly reached for the forbidden item: The Peacock Miraculous now called to her, pleading for Gabriel's salvation. She could be the one: She could stop Ladybug and _Chat Noir_ once and for all: She could finally deliver the one she loved from his hellish obligation: She could make it all end. "I love you, Gabriel," the woman warmly and lovingly declared as she made contact with the final Miraculous. "And that is why… I'll save you."

Once she held the precious jewel in her right hand, Nathalie gently wrapped it under her fingers and cupped her other hand around it. Smiling, the woman closed her eyes as she pulled her knees to her chest to complete a fetal position on the floor. In that moment, she found a deeper peace than she had known in years. Hours passed before she finally awoke on the floor of her bedroom, still holding the Miraculous. Upon opening her hands, the woman heard something falling just to her right, prompting her to stand up and search for the source of the sound. Only for an instant, the edge of a bioluminescent, aqua-colored feather shined among the shadows before sliding behind an overturned dresser.

"H-hello?" Nathalie called out, her voice uneasy but gentle. "Who's there?" Remembering Nooroo, the purple-haired woman felt her heart settle. "It's alright," she declared with growing confidence and compassion. "I won't hurt you."

A strange noise, almost resembling a desperate grunt, sounded from behind the dresser as a flash of aqua light quickly skimmed up the wall and hid itself upon a high shelf behind a small pile of books. Not long after, the mounted shelf began to quake: The being taking refuge atop the wooden stand was trembling, probably in fear.

Remembering the times Adrien ran away from her as a child, Nathalie smiled and slowly stepped forward. "You're afraid, aren't you?" she gently spoke with the voice of a loving, understanding mother. "Have you been running for a long time?" A book plunged to the ground, most likely having been kicked. "You don't need to worry…I know what it's like to be scared. You probably think you're all alone, don't you?" The shelf slowly grew still, but the woman could still hear unsteady breathing. "You're _not_ alone. My name is Nathalie. Can you tell me _your_ name, please?" Nathalie slowly walked closer, unafraid. "Do you have a name?"

Slowly, the frightened creature raised its big, round head up and glanced over the books and down at the floor. Its bulbous head glowed with a weak light that mimicked its aqua-blue body as the timid, little being's large, scared blue eyes glistened as its ruby-colored irises nervously shifted back and forth. Atop the upper back of its head, three antennae somewhat resembling the head-ornament of a peacock were folded back so far they nearly fell flat against the creature's neck. A small, pink dot between the strange being's eyes appeared to shrink as the blue creature scanned its surroundings.

"You don't need to be afraid," Nathalie warmly declared as she slowly spread her arms. "Come here, little one."

The glowing nymph began to tremble again, but it slowly walked forward on all fours. As the creature observed Nathalie, five thick, entirely solid, aqua plumage with transparent lining just slightly darker than the shade of the rest of its body began to lift up, revealing dark ocean-blue ovals containing ruby ovals that, in turn, contained solid-black ovals to produce the image of Egyptian eyes upon each feather. Its mannerisms and expressions implied, beyond any doubt, that it was confused, afraid, and childlike. Seeing this, Nathalie only drew closer, seeking to comfort it. Finally, the strange and adorable creature leapt forward into the woman's loving grasp. Though it kicked and squirmed at first, Nathalie's gentle hold and quiet hushing soon calmed its pounding heart.

"It's alright," the purple-haired woman whispered as she carefully stroked the creature's head and lightly flattened its soft antennae. "It's alright, little angel. I'm here now. My name is Nathalie. Do _you_ have a name? What can I _call_ you?"

Its breath steadying and growing quiet, the blue creature relaxed its tiny muscles and began to nuzzle against the woman's breast. As its body seemed to reverberate and release a sort of purr, the little one slowly began to close its heavy, weary eyes. "Duusu," it answered with the familiar voice of a little girl.

"Duusu?" Nathalie repeated, bewildered. "What a beautiful name," she exclaimed in a whisper. "Thank you for accepting me, Duusu. I love you, little one."

"…Duusu…" the tired, little creature chirped. "…I love you, Nathalie." Closing her eyes, the peacock Kwami found peace in the loving arms that now cradled it.

Nathalie raised her new companion up and nuzzled her cheek against hers. At last, she was no longer alone. Now, only one last part remained… "I'll save you, Gabriel…" the woman promised, feeling tears of sorrow, now mingled with joy, dripping from her eyes. Ladybug and _Chat Noir_ would no longer stop her beloved friend from fulfilling his sacred dream. Looking up to the sky with hope in her heart, Nathalie held Duusu and the peacock Miraculous close to her heart. "…My love."


	7. The Host of Sorrows

Mayura

The Host of Sorrow

_"Each Miraculous carries its own power," Master Fu explained to his students as an ancient incense slowly burned. "Deh mantle of Ladybug is deh power of Creation, a most wondrous and sacred power dat is not to be taken lightly. Deh mantle of Feline is deh power of Destruction, a power feared and distorted by many, but a holy and pure gift to those who understand. Deh mantle of Volpina is dat of Change: It is not deception or cowardice, but deh essential progression of deh world and all life dat dwells within it. Deh mantle of Papillon, despite how Hawk Moth has distorted it, is deh power of Hope. Marinette, you have carried deh power of both Creation and Hope, but Papillon was meant to empower deh people and give strength to deh weak." _

_Marinette, Adrien, and Alya looked at one another, each trying to fathom the depth of their powers and why they had been chosen to bear them._

"_So, Marinette and I are opposites," Adrien declared, envisioning the Yin and Yang symbol represented by Ladybug and Chat Noir respectively. "Do __**all **__the Miraculous balance each other out like that?"_

"_Yes," the old master answered, notably impressed. "For, in balance, dere is peace. Without harmony, all will plunge into chaos. Alya, dere is one Miraculous to balance yours, as dere is for Papillon. In time, I will reveal more to you. Never forget deh need for balance and harmony…"_

After grooming his Akuma, Gabriel forced himself to retire for the night. Lying in his cold, empty room upon a perpetually chilled bed made for two, the man clenched his blankets and justified his actions and reasons until his weary mind and body finally gave way to a dull slumber. Once his suffering for the day ended, Nathalie gently stroked her friend's hair before departing from him.

Kneeling in Hawk Moth's cold, dark chamber, now robbed of the uncertain light of the butterflies, Nathalie's exposed body took in the weak light of the moon until the window closed and sealed itself away behind the cold, metal wall that protected its master from the world. Without her glasses, the woman placed her trust in the Miraculous she now held in her right hand. Her long hair now rested atop her pale, weary shoulders as stray locks dangled in her face. However, she saw nothing but her ultimate goal. Clenching the empowered pin, Nathalie raised it to her right breast, remembered Gabriel, and pierced the golden needle through her flesh. Once the pin sealed itself through her body, the woman slowly rose onto her feet as her pain turned to the ecstasy of power and mercy. Letting out an overpowered gasp, she felt the power of the Miraculous flow through her body. However, the power was neither joyful nor uplifting: Nathalie had opened her body to depth and crushing weight of the pain, loss, regret, guilt, sadness, and isolation that plague the world: She became the host of their sorrows. Tears began to well up in her eyes, only to stream endlessly down her cheeks and onto the cold, metal ground. _Remember why you're doing this, _the woman told herself, even as the sorrow threatened to drown and consume her. _You're doing this…for him. For Adrien, for Emilie, and for him… I'll bear this pain for you, Gabriel!_

Tightly pressing the Miraculous to her chest, Nathalie raised her head to the sky once more, and felt her entire body grow colder as the tears continued to fall. Her pale skin grew ashen before it froze over as a dark-aqua color, painting her lips and nails as black as night while her hair grew to her mid-back and took on a blue-laced raven-black color. Her eyes flashing open, the woman felt them gloss over with a natural blue hue as her irises became ruby-colored amidst the streams of tears. As an unhappy choir of black-hued peacock feathers fell from the vague and shadowed heavens, Nathalie threw open her arms as a beautiful darkness swaddled her and formed her uniform: The woman's tender, naked body was soon covered by a skin-tight, dark ocean-blue gown coated in black patterns resembling both peacock feathers and exaggerated depictions of tears, that draped from her neck down to the floor, covering her shoulders in upward-facing points and swathing her arms in sleeves that extended to a strand wrapping around each of her ring fingers, slitting at the thigh of her left leg, and cleaving into a large spread peacock feathers covering the ground around and behind her dark-blue, high-heel-covered feet, and forming a large single feather that rested atop the right parting line of her hair and extended down just above her eye. Once her transformation was complete, the dark Miraculous felt a powerful field of blue energy discharge from her new form in a violent burst that dropped her to her knees. Slowly, the woman stood up, raised her head up, and opened her cold, pain-soaked, and sinister eyes with a black smile across her face. The tears now glistened lightly in those cruel eyes, occasionally dripping down her cheeks.

The world seemed to enter into a collective hush, as if offering a benediction to the dark angel that now rose before them. No longer weak, afraid, or bound, Nathalie spread a dark-aqua peacock-feather fan in her right hand, revealing the purple-black interior of the feathers as well as the ruby eye on each plume. Her pin now flowed with purple and black energy as it rested, embedded in its host's breast atop her uniform. "…I am Mayura…" the newest Miraculous declared in a voice stronger and deeper than her original. "The host of sorrow." Spreading her fan over her mouth, the woman recalled the unseen death of her mother, and once more uttered the same pain-laced laughter from that day. Soon, the sorrow she had known for so long, and the sorrow Gabriel had been left to drown in, would be Ladybug and _Chat Noir's_. All who stood by them would crumble and fall in sorrowful disgrace, and Hawk Moth would rise as Gabriel Agreste finally achieved his sacred, holy dream. As her laughter grew beyond her control, the dark Miraculous felt icy tears stream down her cheeks.

His eyes thrusting open, Master Fu sat up in his bed, cold sweat covering his face as he gasped for air. "…Where are you?" he choked out as his heart began to pound.

Passing through the dark, freezing lair her employer used to torture himself, Mayura, like a gust of silent wind, made her way to her beloved's bedroom, her feet levitating above the ground. Naked under thin sheets, his thin, sweat-soaked body jolting as unspeakable nightmares plagued his unhappy mind, Gabriel clenched his bedspread as the unrelenting images flashed before him: Emilie's final breath, the blood pouring from her mouth onto the floor as she attempted to say goodbye, the first time the woman donned the Peacock Miraculous, and, finally, a torn and gray image slowly becoming consumed by darkness that depicted a miserable and sobbing Adrien, still a child, his shoulders gently held from behind by Emilie in the broken form she had taken on by the hand of the Peacock. Screaming and opening his eyes, Gabriel immediately felt a cool, gentle, loving hand slowly pass over his face, barely making contact, until it stroked back his silver hair and settled just beyond the crown of his head. Unable to speak or even gasp, the man watched in awe as the forbidden Miraculous shed tears while smiling lovingly down at him with the strength and intention of a devoted mother. With her other hand, the woman wiped away his tears while gently hushing him. "Are you an angel?" the suffering man choked out as tears welled up and flowed down the sides of his face while he continued to gaze up without so much as blinking. "Has my beloved returned to me?"

"I am Mayura," the dark Miraculous declared, her voice a dark comfort laced with a mystical echo. "Gabriel, you no longer need battle Ladybug and _Chat Noir_ alone. _I_ am here now," she lovingly promised with every inch of her agonized heart. "As I had promised long ago, I will never _leave_ you."

"Nathalie?" Gabriel gasped as his eyes were blinded by tears. "Nathalie, no! Please…I told you never to use the Peacock Miraculous. It's damaged beyond _all_ repair…I begged of you…I beg of you _now_…Its powers will…"

"Gabriel, my powers will serve you until the very end," Mayura gently assured her beloved as her chilled hands lightly clasped his and stroked its back. "Whether I live or die means nothing, as long as I can see your dream fulfilled. For you, I will do anything. Rest now, my dearest prince. I will see to it that no one will suffer but Ladybug and _Chat Noir_."

"Nathalie, I…" the silver-haired man choked out, slowly pulling himself up, only for Mayura's cold hand to press against his heart and stop him. "Nathalie…you would do this for her?"

"For her, for Adrien, and for you, Gabriel," the Miraculous answered in a voice heavy with loving obligation. "For you, …I will see the world drown in sorrow." The two gazed at one another as their silence served as confessor. "I don't want you to suffer anymore…_I _will bear this burden for you now."

His throat sealing as his eyes continued to flow with tears, Gabriel allowed himself to be lowered down onto his back. Mayura simply smiled, touched the tips of her fingers against the man's skin one last time, and slowly raised her hand up, never taking her eyes away from his. Before she could pull it away, the man took his savior's hand in his own, pulled it closer to his face, and kissed it with endless gratitude. "…Thank you," he exclaimed, his voice, though profound, barely that of a whisper. "Even in my sin and shame, you have been sent to me. _Thank_ you, Nathalie."

Nodding her head, Mayura turned and slowly vanished into the shadows, leaving Gabriel alone in his empty bed. Though the world had forsaken him, she still remained. She was the mercy he had given up on so long ago, and she would make everything right.

Rolling onto his side, Adrien pulled his blankets tightly against his chest as a painful chill washed over his body. Passing by the young man's room, Mayura smiled to herself as the tears continued to fall from her eyes. _I love you, Adrien, _she declared to herself as she began her fearful quest. _All that I do, I do for you and those you love._

Gazing out at the world through Mayura's sight, the hopeful, happy, and gentle woman Nathalie once was, watched through sad, bloodshot eyes welling up with tears as corruptive veins began to form from her eyelids and spread around her eyes. The pain was unimaginable, but she could bear it for him. _Making her way onward, Mayura became Nathalie, the composed, dignified, and restrained woman who wore her hair in a tidy bun and relied on glasses to hide the sorrow in her eyes, before becoming the unkempt and undone Nathalie, who walked upon naked feet, her hair down, and her eyes, like her body, bare and exposed for all to see and judge. As the distraught woman continued down her unhappy path, she felt all the scars of her past reopen and bleed down her back while healed bruises, scrapes, and tender muscles began to pain and mark her arms, legs, and torso. Now, more than ever, she bore the heavy, icy chains of sorrow, silence, self-denial, discontent, and fear, dragging them as she dragged the burden of others upon her weary shoulders. _At last, Mayura made it to her master's chamber, ascended to his observatory, and opened his eye into the city.

Darkness had settled over the face of Paris, ushering in a cold and indifferent wind that flowed past houses and offices but chilled those who walked the streets alone and unguarded. Although fearful, the dark Miraculous raised her tear-blurred eyes toward the sky, and spread her arms to the world. Releasing a sharp gasp, Mayura felt the pain and sorrow of the Parisians flowing into her body and spirit. At first, the weight of their pain and suffering was unbearable and crushing. The very idea of hope seemed to fade from existence amidst the suffocating blanket of despair and sadness. However, she would carry the weight alone, all for those she loved. Once she had accepted the collective sorrow of those around her, Mayura felt her body begin to flow and cascade with newfound power as hot tears welled up and splashed down from her eyes. "…The world is in pain," she declared with a weighty tone, though her face bore a smile. "She cries out in sorrow and loneliness, only to go unheard. There is no end to their suffering…" The woman then released a heavy sigh of discovery, closing her eyes and raising her head up higher. "And the so-called champions carry a weight of sorrow greater than any other…"

Dark-blue feathers began to fall from the skies over the city of Paris, serving as Mayura's eyes until they hit the ground and wilted. Like a monsoon of darkness, her feathers blew through the air and coated rooftops, sidewalks, the lakebeds, and the lost and lonely people with nowhere to go. More prominent than any other was the one called Volpina, whose powers served only to burden and terrify her. After all, she was little more than a child. Smiling warmly, feeling what the young soldier had felt for so long, Mayura opened her eyes and released a flurry of dark feathers from her body, each filled with Volpina's doubt, apprehension, and fear. Of the swarm, only four feathers survived long enough to conceive avatars of the young woman's ambient emotions: The feathers grew and contorted until they formed dark, needful creatures the size of toddlers, covered in dark and matted fur, and flowing with blue energy. "Go, my children:" Mayura lovingly commanded of her creations. "My Avatars. Bring the girl to me…Fill her mind, body, and soul with the despair she has been fighting."

The Avatars each nodded their heads, their swirling black and yellow eyes focused on their mistress, and allowed their bodies to be blown into the city like feathers on the wind. Through their eyes, Mayura could see Volpina's conflict and unhappiness. Touching her cold hand to her throbbing heart, the dark Miraculous felt the young hero's pain inside her body, causing her to shed a greater stream of tears. "I know how you suffer, my child," she exhaled with the full weight and magnitude of her empathy. "You are still innocent…Come to me, and I will bear your sorrow _for_ you. Only Ladybug and _Chat Noir_ will suffer."


	8. Little Girl, Lost

Mayura

Little Girl, Lost

_"Alya, what's going on?" _Trixx asked her dearest friend as Volpina stood atop the chimney of a long-abandoned shop. _"Come on. You can't hide your feelings from me."_

"Those things Master Fu said to me," Alya answered, trying not to look her partner's spirit in the eye. "I just can't get them out of my head…How could things get any worse than they _have_ been? How much am I supposed to live with?"

"_Alya, we'll take it one day at a time," _the fox Kwami calmly explained. _"That old man is __**way**__ too serious. Don't let it freak you out. We'll get through this together. Fox's honor."_

Alya let out a heavy sigh and turned her eyes to the center of the city as Volpina. "I just came out to clear my head," she said just above a whisper. "Looks like Hawk Moth's got no surprises for me tonight." Planting her staff on the concrete she stood upon, the fox Miraculous leapt off her resting spot and made her way towards the Eiffel Tower. Along the way, she could not escape her master's words. _I thought I'd stop feeling powerless once I became a Miraculous, _she attempted to rationalize. _Now, I'm just as messed up as ever. Maybe it would've been better if they never chose me in the first place._

Suddenly, the young woman felt something tighten around her ankles and drag her down while between buildings. Crashing down on a fire escape, Volpina opened her eyes to see a strange, inhuman being lying on its belly just in front of her. "I don't think we've met," the fox Miraculous declared with confidence in her voice as she rose to her feet.

The strange creature let out a loud groan as it rose to its ape-like feet and held out its hand. Its movements and mannerisms weren't that of a hostile force, but, rather, a savior. Volpina remained still for a moment, trying to determine the purpose of the odd being before her. Its eyes appeared empty and lacking in any form of intelligence, though its desire was clear.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Volpina asked, making sure to keep her voice and body language calm and unassuming. The creature maintained its posture with no sign of tiring.

"_Trixx, I've got a weird feeling about this guy," _Alya declared within a passing second. _"I don't think it's an Akumatized, but I don't know if I can trust it."_

"_I feel like I've seen something like this before," _the fox Kwami answered as she studied the creature through Volpina's eyes. _"It seems…wrong, though. Whatever you do, Alya, be careful."_

"…Okay, little guy," the Miraculous warmly declared, having made up her mind. "Show me what you need me to see." Upon reaching out her arm, Volpina took the creature's hand, and immediately felt a dark aura wash over her entire body. Her senses dulled and her body growing weak and tired, the young woman fell to her knees as her eyes blackened and her pupils dimmed. "Oh, god," she exclaimed in a whisper as her costume faded to a gray color. "What am I doing? I've got no right to call myself a hero…I'm nothing." Mayura's tears began to drip from the heroine's eyes as her crushing doubt and shame grew within her heart.

Letting out a sympathetic sound like a dog's whimper, the creature held Volpina's hand tighter and slowly walked closer. Her sorrowful eyes lifting from the ground below, the Miraculous gazed into her new companion's sympathetic face and began to feel some semblance of hope.

"You have somewhere to take me?" Volpina asked in a hoarse voice. "Have you come to save me?"

The creature nodded its head slightly and released a sorrowful moan as its dark energy began to flow into the Miraculous. Its intentions were pure, and Volpina knew it to be true.

"…Wait a minute," Alya's voice began to rise within her ailing mind. "No…I swore I'd be strong. Trixx and I…Marinette…Adrien…Master Fu…No. What's happening to me? This isn't right."

Opening her true eyes, Volpina looked down at her hand before jolting it away from the sorrowful creature. Once their grip was broken, the young woman felt the thing she once considered a friend lose its hold over her. "I don't know what you are, but whatever you did to me…whatever you tried to make me feel…it's all wrong," the hero declared as she rose to her feet. "Yeah, I doubt myself and get scared, but I'll never give into those feelings again. That's what you were trying to make me do, wasn't it?"

Releasing a high-pitched whine, the furry being opened and revealed a large, unformed mouth below its swirling, empty eyes and let out a howl to the night. Soon, two more identical creatures charged forth from the shadow and descended upon the two.

Quickly turning her head to size up her attackers, Volpina let out a snicker and readied her flute-staff. "Okay, Fluffy," she confidently accepted the challenge, entering something into her communicator. "Let's see what you're all made of."

Standing alone in the cold and darkness of her beloved's lair, Mayura kept her arms cupped over her waist as she gazed through the eyes of the Avatars, not so much as blinking. "Damn you," she whispered with sharp, seething anger Nathalie would never have released. "I could have _saved_ you." Despite her rage, the dark Miraculous shed a tear of sorrow. "…We didn't have to be enemies." Dark veins formed around Mayura's eyes as her mercy faded. "Take her Miraculous, but don't kill her. Show her what sorrow truly is."

Crying out in fury, the Avatars jumped toward Volpina, only for her to vanish in a cloud of smoke. The three creatures collided with one another and dropped onto the metal floor below as their foe gazed down at them.

"Oh, boys," the fox Miraculous playfully taunted her attackers from the rooftop. Hissing, the strange beings gazed upward as they scrambled to their feet. "Maybe we should keep this down. The neighbors are trying to sleep."

The Avatars dug their claws into the sides of the vacant building and began vigorously climbing until they reached the same level as their target. Their mouths wide open and dripping with saliva, the beasts closed in around the Miraculous with angry, empty eyes.

_Come on, guys, _Volpina pleaded to herself as her confidence began to wane. _Marinette, Adrien…where __**are**__ you?_ The Avatars extended their claws and drew closer. "Okay," the young woman declared amidst the pounding of her heart. "You had your chance to walk away. Now you'll see what happens when you corner a fox!"

Howling madly, the incensed creatures charged at their opponent, though one reached her sooner than the others. Grabbing the beast by its wrist, Volpina summoned all her strength to spin and throw it against one of its companions, knocking both down. Jolting in the direction of her last attacker, the Miraculous drew her flute and converted it into its staff form. _No spells or tricks, _she declared to herself as she twirled her weapon in her right hand. Once the final Avatar jumped forward, Volpina swung her staff, striking the beast upon its left cheek, and knocking it back until it stumbled off the rooftop and fell.

Her caring instincts returning to her, the fox Miraculous raced to the ledge and gazed down in the vain hope of rescuing the creature, only to find its body lying atop the ground of the alley before it faded into black and blue smoke and vanished. Her heart lightened, Volpina turned back to her remaining opponents. "You're not real," she declared in words full of both weight and relief. "Just smoke and shadows…But who made you? Who are you working for?"

Rising to their feet, the last two Avatars roared at the moon before running towards the Miraculous. Despite the loss of their companion, the two acted only out of instinct and direction: They felt nothing.

"If that's the way it's gotta be," Volpina declared before charging forward. Letting her staff dangle just in front of her leg, the young woman tightened her grip and swung upward at the closest opponent. The impact knocked the creature back, creating an opening for its partner to leap forward and slash the Miraculous' arm, successfully knocking her back. Though her suit was unharmed, the sting of the wound still burned. "Didn't your mom teach you how to treat a lady?"

Jumping forward to deliver its final blow, the Avatar stared blankly at its foe. However, before it could land its attack, Volpina drove both of her feet into its abdomen and thrust forward, propelling the beast back into the fire door. Though stunned, the final Avatar remained in its physical form. Retracting her staff, the fox Miraculous quickly took a picture of her strange foe and prepared to neutralize it until her allies arrived. However, before she drew near, the creature looked up at her, its eyes almost reflecting a look of sorrow, and faded into smoke that dissipated on the wind.

"…Huh," Volpina exclaimed after taking a second to process what had happened. "Don't send rabbits…to chase a _fox_," she proudly declared as she turned her back to the scene and leapt into the night.

Bowing her head, Mayura tightly shut and clenched her eyes. "Failure," she angrily roared as her entire being seemed to drown in sorrow and disgust. "…But I won't give up…" the woman's voice grew cold as an icy determination flowed through her veins. "I'll find them…I'll find more. I'll turn the entire city's pain and anguish against you, Ladybug. Then, your friends will become my prisoners. You will _not_ stand in his way any longer."

"Alya, I'm here," Marinette exclaimed as she raced into Master Fu's apartment. "I got your call, but I couldn't make it in time. Thank Heaven you're okay. I'm _so_ sorry I couldn't be there when you needed me."

"Marinette, it's okay," Alya warmly replied as she slowly sipped a cup of hot tea while Trixx nibbled on a cookie. "Trixx and I handled it. But that's not the point. Those things that attacked me…they _weren't_ Akumatized. I'd never felt anything like them before." Pulling the photograph from her pocket, the young woman handed her friend the only surviving piece of evidence from the battle. "Does this ring any bells?"

Studying the image, Marinette slowly shook her head before handing it to her master. "How many were there?" she asked.

"Three," Alya answered. "They all turned to smoke once they were beaten, but the last one…it was like he _forced_ himself to vanish. Master, do you know what they could be?"

Gazing deeply into the flames licking the air in his fireplace, the old master let out a heavy breath. "…Yes, Alya," he confessed with a great weight to his voice. "Deh creatures you fought…were constructs made by deh peacock Miraculous."

"What?" Marinette and Alya exclaimed.

"Deh second lost Miraculous…" Master Fu recounted his sorrowful loss. "I had thought it lost forever…But now, evil has claimed it as its own. It was broken long ago…And deh damages have opened it to a darkness…It cries out to me, but I cannot find it." With that, the old master lowered his head in shame.

"Master, don't blame yourself," Marinette begged of her dear mentor. The young woman walked up to the man and gently placed her hand on his weary shoulder. "_We've_ been searching for Hawk Moth for _years_ and haven't found him. Besides, things are different now." Fu looked back at his student. "…We've got each other."

Alya and Master Fu found themselves smiling at Marinette's simple yet profound statement. Not long after, _Chat Noir's _knock sounded at the door. The elderly man welcomed his student, who entered in his civilian attire. "Sorry I came so late," Adrien declared as he walked over to Alya and warmly embraced her. "Plagg couldn't wake me up. By the time I finally came to, your message said everything was okay."

"I got attacked by these three creatures," Alya explained. "Master Fu says they came from the peacock Miraculous. They all disappeared, but there'll definitely be more."

Adrien felt his heart begin to pound as he turned nervously to his master. "Another Miraculous?" he gasped. "I'm so sorry. I should've been there. I…"

"Adrien, _neither_ of us got there in time," Marinette spoke up. "Besides, the things that attacked Alya were mindless beasts. They didn't have any information to give. Please, don't blame yourself."

Clenching his fist, Master Fu forced out one last act of hypocrisy. "She is right, Adrien," he declared. "We cannot linger in deh past. Dere is much to prepare for. Forgive yourself, Adrien. It is deh only way." Nodding his head, the blond young man let out a heavy sigh and took a seat on the floor. "You did deh right thing by calling in assistance, Alya. You have come a long way."

"Thank you, Master," Alya warmly replied. "Those creatures, they seemed to give off some kind of…like, an emotion. The one took my hand, and I started feeling helpless and depressed. I could barely even stand. It's like it was controlling my mind."

"And it hit you with feelings you were already struggling with," Trixx added as she took a seat on her partner's shoulder. "Master, can the Peacock Miraculous tap into a person's emotions like Hawk Moth can?"

"I am afraid so," Master Fu answered as he slowly took a seat across from his students. "Deh peacock Miraculous carries deh power of Empathy. I had thought another Miraculous would guard its holder from dat power, but I was wrong. Alya, deh peacock Miraculous attempted to manipulate your feelings. What brought you to feel such sorrow and despair?"

"…I was afraid, Master," the reddish-brunette confessed. "Those things you said to me…I was afraid I was still powerless, weak. I started thinking, again, that you made a mistake choosing me. When that thing touched my hand, all those thoughts attacked me all at once. I'm sorry, Master. If it weren't for me…"

"Alya, no," Marinette interrupted with fire in her voice. "_Never_ apologize for having feelings. That's what drew Hawk Moth to me before…This was _not_ your fault. We're a team…a family…We have to open up and trust each other."

"Marinette, despite her emotional outbursts, is wise beyond her years," the elderly man proudly declared, much to Marinette's confusion. "Alya, we all have battles to be fought. Deh words I give you are neither threat nor doubt. I believe dat you have deh strength to endure what lies ahead of you. But, you must be deh one to convince yourself of dat. Dere is nothing to fear. I made _no_ mistake in choosing any of you."

"Besides, whatever you can't figure out, I'm sure _I _can," Trixx happily volunteered.

"And we're here for you, too, Alya," Adrien added with a gleam of hope in his voice. "Just like you are for us."

"Thanks, guys," the African-American young woman lovingly replied. "And, thanks for believing in me."

"Just as long as you believe in _yourself_, too," Marinette reminded her friend. Alya smiled at her dearest friend and nodded her head. "Master, what's our next move?"

In the darkness and silence of Hawk Moth's gilded cage, Mayura searched the city for the Miraculous, only to be left with nothing. The woman closed her eyes and dropped to her knees in shame as bitter tears dripped down her cheeks. With a heavy, painful sigh of defeat, Nathalie relinquished her dark Miraculous form and released Duusu, who flew to her new partner's shoulder. Once the Miraculous Light faded, the woman kept her glance on the cold, metal floor as she let out a loud, heaving cough that burned her chest and throat. As her heart began to pound, Nathalie clasped her neck with her right hand while her left supported her trembling body.

Duusu quickly wrapped herself around her partner's back and warmly embraced her. Despite the Kwami's efforts, the purple-haired woman continued to cough and gag for nearly ten minutes. Once the spell was over, Nathalie collapsed onto her right side, struggling to calm her pounding heart and steady her breathing. As saliva began to stream from her dry, cracked lips, the woman gasped repeatedly, until she found peace and an escape from her pain. Duusu lay atop her friend's arm and lovingly held her until Nathalie's tired, bloodshot eyes finally began to close. "All better now," the Kwami prayed, her voice just above a whisper. "All better now."


	9. Holy Tears

Mayura

Holy Tears

Come the morn, after the evil night had finally faded, Marinette woke up next to Tikki in her own bed, Adrien found himself next to Plagg in his unmade bed, and Alya woke up with Trixx curled up atop her pillow. Opening his weary eyes, Master Fu rolled over in his bed to find himself alone yet again. The elderly man let out a heavy sigh before closing his eyes, turning around, and stepping down from his resting spot. Opening her eyes to find that the one she had dreamed of was not there, Sabrina Raincomprix buried her face in her pillow and cried alone.

Wincing and struggling to come out of her vivid yet forgotten dreams, Nathalie found herself in a bed that was not her own. Her body was still weak from her attack the previous night, and the very air felt as cold as the embrace of ice. Slowly, the woman rose into a semi-seated position with her arms serving as her support. As the warm, soft blankets began to slip down her arm, Nathalie found herself dressed in a white, silk nightgown, whose left shoulder strap was sliding. The gown was truly wonderful: Its fabric was soft, its form snug where it was needed but loose overall, and its interior was warm while its exterior was naturally cool.

"Please, don't try to get up," Gabriel begged of his dear friend, his voice unusually hushed and gentle. The man gently placed his hand atop the back of the woman's head and eased her onto her back. "Nathalie, you fainted last night." The silver-haired man pulled his assistant's blankets up over her chest. "Duusu called out to me, and I came. I'm sorry I was too late." Noticing the tears and dull sweat on Nathalie's face, Gabriel plunged his trembling hand into his breast pocket, removed a handkerchief, and gently dabbed and blotted along the woman's face.

"Sir…" Nathalie managed to groan, her mind still spiraling.

"Please, try to rest," Gabriel nearly whispered as he doted on his assistant. "…Nathalie," he finally said once things had settled once more. "I am so sorry…I shouldn't have let you use that Miraculous…You _know_ it's been damaged. I had no right to allow you to carry _my_ burden."

As the man closed his eyes in shame, he soon felt a cold, trembling hand take his. "…Gabriel," Nathalie choked out, even as her eyes struggled to remain open. "…There's nothing to forgive…You're my friend. I'm prepared to help you in your pursuits, no matter the cost."

"Are you in pain?" the withered man nervously asked as he placed his other hand around the back of Nathalie's palm.

The purple-haired woman shook her head before taking in a deep breath through her nose. "Not anymore," she answered earnestly. "I can endure any pain for you…I'll carry every cross _for_ you, so you _never_ have to suffer through wickedness ever again."

"Nathalie," Gabriel choked out as his tired eyes filled with burning tears. Though he had long since sealed away his heart, the man once more felt the beautiful pain of love and mercy. "Why…Why would you…"

"You're my friend, Gabriel," Nathalie whispered, her face bearing a pure smile. "…Why can't you see you're _worth_ fighting for?" At that, Nathalie slowly closed her eyes, knowing Gabriel was taken aback. "I love Emilie too. You two are worth dying for."

The silver-haired man's mouth fell open as he tightly clenched his friend's hand, leaned over her, and cried onto her pillow. This had never been his intention, and the very thought of losing another loved one was the greatest crushing horror he had ever experienced. As hours of sunlight passed outside their window, Gabriel forced himself to accept the thought: Maybe this was fate. For now, though, Nathalie was alive, and they were together.

Though he did not intend to disturb her sleep, Gabriel wrapped his arms around his assistant and held her gently in a grip he would never allow the world to break. Opening her weak, moist eyes, Nathalie awoke in shock, only to settle into the heavenly warmth of her friend's embrace. "Nathalie," Gabriel whispered as tears continued to flow from his closed eyes. "My most precious, _precious_ friend… How could you ever forgive me for all I've done to you…And how could I _ever_ let you go?" The embrace continued for nearly an hour, and the mind struggled so terribly to accept the cruel destiny laid out before it.

As the sun began to set over the city of Paris, orange and crimson light flooded the sky and shined in through the windows of the Agreste mansion. Gabriel found himself seated at a counter with a piece of toast on a blue plate and a half-full glass of orange juice before him. However, his mind was too distant for him to eat, and the inevitable future twisted his stomach in terrible knots. For years, he had been willing to surrender his peace of mind, his sleep, any sum of money, and even his own life to achieve his most sacred goal, but he never once imagined someone else lifting his burden, or that the price would be so great for letting them. The matter, though, was far greater than what he wanted. This was for Adrien, for Emilie, and for the sake of the family. For that cause, he had to be willing to accept any pain, any price, and any suffering. Glancing down at his hand, Gabriel slowly extended his fingers and watched them in the light of the setting sun. Who was he in all of this?

"Dad?" Adrien's voice broke the man's silence. Gabriel pulled himself away from his thoughts and faced his son. "Are you okay?"

"Fine, yes," the silver-haired man answered without a trace of emotion or hesitation. "Adrien, would you have a seat, please?" Without a word, the young man complied by pulling up a chair and sitting down between the kitchen area and the neighboring living room. Once all movement had ceased, the father of the Agreste house slowly cupped his hands above his lap. "As you know, Nathalie isn't well today. I appreciate that you haven't disturbed her. I know you must be concerned, but she simply isn't up to visits at this time. By tomorrow, she should be fine." Adrien nodded his head, knowing better than to try to speak. "In the meantime, there is something I've been meaning to ask you." At this, the blond young man's heart began to pound. Even after all these years, the possibility of his father discovering his secret remained a source of fear, anxiety, and concern. Had he made a mistake? "…Do you remember your mother…Adrien?"

Deeply perplexed, Adrien stared at the floor for a moment as he tried to make sense of what was happening. "…Yes," he finally answered. "It's mostly bits and pieces, but I remember her face, her voice…all the good times we had together…and then all those months she was in the hospital."

"Then, have you ever doubted that she loved you?" Gabriel continued. In that instant, his strong, almost cold voice seemed to give way to something truer and more human.

Cupping his hands as his gaze became fixed on the floor, Adrien shook his head. Though there had been times when he resented his mother for leaving him, not a single day went by that he wasn't sure she loved him with all her heart and soul, even if he didn't understand why. "…No," the young man answered without doubt or fear. "Never."

"I'm glad to hear that, Adrien," the man almost warmly replied. "As you know, death is simply a part of life. Your mother fought to stay alive…" Memories of tears once distant began to flash through Gabriel's unhappy mind. Emilie's hand was so pale and cold the last time he held it. "She fought for your sake. Your mother…was what I could never be. I know I have failed you many times…" Images of Hawk Moth standing above Paris as it became flooded by darkness and hopelessness burned through all moments of peaceful sorrow. "And that I have been unable to make this house a home since your mother's passing…And, for that, I am sorry. But, I pray you will never doubt, that both Nathalie and I love you dearly…" Adrien's eyes slowly drifted toward his father as his hands began to grip one another more tightly. "And, should anything happen to one or both of us, it was neither our choice nor your fault. Please, never doubt that fact."

Swallowing the anger and disappointment his father had brought to him for so many years, Adrien steadied his trembling hands. "…I won't," he managed to choke out. Images of Emilie choking as blood began to spill from her throat onto her cold, sterile hospital bed began to flash through Adrien's mind. Though he only saw through a crack in the doorway, his mother's suffering never left his mind. Now, his mind tortured him with the notion that Nathalie may be suffering, just as his mother did.

"Everything will be alright, son," Gabriel assured his one and only child as he stood up and left his food and drink behind. "I promise you, one day…everything will be alright again." _Whether I am here or not_. Before he departed from the room, the man paused and turned his head back slightly. "…I love you, Adrien." Without waiting for a reply, Gabriel walked away from the room and from his son.

"…I love you too, Dad," the young man whispered as hot tears began to stream from his eyes.

Lying in the unfamiliar bed, her body having recovered enough to cast aside its chills, Nathalie felt the cool embrace of the sheets soothe her through the heat of the day. Come nightfall, her eyes truly seemed to open. The weight of reality settled soon after, rendering the pale woman paralyzed as she gazed at the ceiling. Despite the hours of restless sleep she had gotten, her eyes were still weak, bloodshot, and sensitive to light. Turning her head to her left, Nathalie found herself all alone. "…Duusu?" she whispered, her voice already hoarse. "Duusu, are you here?" Met with silence, the woman reached for her chest and clenched the peacock Miraculous. "Duusu, we're partners now…Please, don't leave me alone."

Suddenly, a small book hit the ground with a loud thud, followed by an almost feline hissing mingled with a growl. Nathalie's eyes shot towards the source of the threatening noises, where she found Duusu, standing atop a bookshelf on the tips all fours, lower-back craned upward, tail feathers flared and standing up stiffly, face reddened, eyes feral and irises small, antennae pointed forward, mouth open wide, teeth borne, and her expression locked into a furious scowl. Seeing the Kwami in this state made it nearly impossible to imagine she was the same, timid creature that once cowered and hid, only to hold and guard her new partner in times of distress and need. This creature showed no signs of fear, compassion, or even rationality.

"Duusu…what's wrong?" Nathalie coughed out as she attempted to raise her body into a seated position. "Duusu, it's me. I'm your friend, remember?"

"No!" the peacock Kwami shouted with pure, childlike rage. "You're not a friend! You were going to leave Duusu! Just like other partner!" Releasing a stream of bubbling saliva from her mouth, Duusu flared her feathers even higher and continued to hiss and bellow.

"Duusu, I'm not going anywhere," the purple-haired woman promised her suffering friend. "I'm sorry that I got sick. I _won't_ leave you…And Emilie _tried_ to stay with you…She was just too weak and sick to hold on any longer. Please understand."

Backing up until her bottom was against the wall, Duusu began shaking her head and splattering her drool on the shelf as she continued to hiss and snarl. Looking closer, Nathalie could see the tears streaming from the creature's eyes. She was hurt and felt betrayed. "Nathalie doesn't love Duusu!" the Kwami cried out.

"That's not true," Nathalie pleaded as she attempted to swing her legs over the side of the bed. Every movement was labored by such a great weight and strain, though. Finally, she touched her cold feet to the floor and forced herself up, only to collapse on the carpet. Duusu studied the woman but did nothing. "I love you, Duusu…You're my friend. I won't leave you…I swear it." Nathalie crawled forward, her knees burning as she dragged them across the carpeting. "The two of us…we'll never have to be alone, ever again. Please…_Please_, trust me." Once she was close enough to her partner, the woman held out her trembling hand for the Kwami to crawl onto. "I won't fade away…I'll _always_ be here for you…I won't go away until Emilie comes back for you."

Hesitant at first, Duusu hissed at her so-called friend's hand, only to find it did not pull away. Gazing into Nathalie's face, the unhappy creature saw that she was crying as well. The Kwami's anger began to fade, returning her face to its natural, relaxed, blue sate, and returning the sense to her eyes. Slowly, she lowered her feathers and crawled forward. Nathalie struggled to maintain the reach of her arm, even as she struggled to remain conscious. Between the long, dark blinks of her weak eyes, the woman saw her Kwami crawl down and hold onto her hand. Soon, the two were hugging one another, and then, everything became darkness.

Waking up to the darkness of the night's sky, Nathalie found herself back in the unfamiliar bed, her arms at her sides, one of which was connected to an IV drip. Her Miraculous was still in-place, with Duusu resting inside. Though her mind felt distant from her body, the woman felt her knees burn as her arms shook from strain. "…I'll always be here for you, Duusu," she whispered as she stroked her most precious treasure. "…I'll bring her back to you…It doesn't matter what it costs me…I promise you that." Closing her eyes once more, Nathalie felt the rest of the night slip away as her cold, pale, and battered body finally took to rest in the room she stayed in, all alone.


	10. Unmade

Mayura

Unmade

Sitting at his beloved guardian's bedside, Adrien could do nothing but watch over Nathalie as she slept. Every few minutes, she would thrash from side to side, wince, or jolt, though it was never enough to wake her up. Her mind and body were simply too exhausted. Unable to look away from the painful sight, Adrien remembered his mother's suffering: Now, the woman he had taken as a surrogate mother was in the same agony, and he was powerless to do anything. Even with his Miraculous, he was nothing more than the same, helpless child he was when Emilie passed away.

Biting his lip and holding back his tears, the blond young man quietly leaned over his beloved caretaker and forced the lump in his throat down. Once he was close enough to her ear, he took in a trembling breath. "I love you…Mom," he finally managed to whisper. Before he pulled back, Adrien kissed his guardian's chilled and pale cheek, and she seemed to finally find rest as she slept. With that glimmer of hope, the young man was able to walk away with some semblance of peace.

"You doing okay, kid?" Plagg asked once he and Adrien were alone in the hallway.

"No, I'm not," Adrien sighed. Despite his pain, the young man forced himself to remain composed and rational. "My dad's gonna be back to check on her soon. Let's talk at Master's place, okay?" The Kwami nodded his little head before settling into his partner's bag.

Once Gabriel returned, Adrien relayed Nathalie's condition, bid his father goodbye, and excused himself to attend his class. Gabriel accepted without question, entered his bedroom, and sat down at his friend's bedside. After taking a second to watch over his suffering family, Adrien prayed, turned his back, and made his way outside.

For what felt like hours, Marinette, Alya, Master Fu, and the Kwami's sat in utter silence with their tortured friend. Everyone felt the sorrow and pain choking out the air in the room as Adrien attempted to keep his red, tear-glazed eyes and unhappy expression hidden under his hair as he stared at the floor.

"Adrien, I know you are suffering," Master Fu finally spoke up. "But you mustn't keep deh pain hidden away. You have seen what chaos dat choice will bring." Adrien bit his lower lip and took in a trembling breath.

"…How long has she been sick?" Marinette asked, her voice gentle and loving.

Loudly clearing his throat and attempting to keep his voice steady, Adrien shook his head. "I don't know," he choked out, just barely above a whisper. "But…she's in pain… an' there's nothing I can do." His last words coming out as a cough, the blond young man finally lost his composure and began crying aloud, though he covered his miserable eyes with his hand.

Alya and Master Fu watched in helpless empathy as their friend suffered. Once she saw he couldn't stop by himself, Marinette stood up, walked up behind Adrien, knelt down, and wrapped her arms loosely around his neck while resting them upon his shoulders. Gently hushing her friend, the young woman closed her eyes and listened to his cries and gasps. "Adrien, I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I'm so sorry." As the others looked away out of respect, Marinette remained at her friend's side until he finally calmed himself.

After time had passed, Adrien sipped the hot tea his master had given him, and prepared himself to recount the nightmare. "…I…I didn't know she was sick," he began, still avoiding eye contact with his friends. "Then, my dad said that she'd passed out and wasn't waking up…She was so pale, and her skin was…It was cold. Um…She's hooked up to an IV drip, so I know she's getting food and medicine now. I just…I don't know what it is, I don't know how stable she is…and I can't even _be_ there for her _while_ she's sick. It's just too painful. I mean, I _want_ to be there for her. God knows I do…But when there's nothing I can do…I don't want her to be alone when she wakes up, but…I just don't know."

"Adrien, you can't be by her side all the time," Alya replied, her voice strong but gentle. "_Nobody_ is that strong. Just be there when she wakes up, okay?" Adrien forced himself to smile and nod his head, though the tears still lingered in his eyes.

"Adrien," Master Fu spoke up, commanding the attention of everyone in the room. "Dat is not _all_ dat troubles you…_is_ it?"

Adrien cupped his hands and gazed down at the wooden floor, which soon became stained with tears yet again. "I mean…" he choked out through a throbbing throat and a trembling voice. "…What's the point of having powers if we can't save the people we care about? …Why can't we stop people from dying when they're not supposed to?"

As silence fell over the room once again, Marinette recalled her own time of doubt and powerlessness. Alya looked down at her hands, Volpina's hands, and soon became lost in thought. Master Fu let out a heavy sigh, pressed his walking stick into the floor, and forced himself up.

The elderly man turned away from his students and their Kwami, walked over to his fireplace, and prodded the logs. "Adrien…" he choked out, still fighting demons of his own. "I have watched you over deh years. Yours is a story filled with pain, loss, doubt…but also redemption, sacrifice, mercy, loyalty, and hope. We _all_ dream of changing deh world, but we can each only do so much, until our sun sets. It is not our place as Miraculous to alter deh natural order. We can only use our powers as dey were given to us."

"…Master," Adrien said just above a whisper as Plagg placed his little hand on his partner's shoulder. "…Have you ever lost someone, even though you thought you had the power to save them?"

Tightly closing his eyes, the old master forced himself to recall the trauma of his life. "Yes, Adrien," he finally confessed. All eyes focused on Master Fu as his legendary composure was broken. "…I was young when I was chosen to become a Guardian…I was granted a very precious Miraculous, with which I vowed to protect deh ones I loved…" The elderly man turned and faced his students as a grim expression overtook his face. "But I could not turn deh tides of fate. I had to watch my loved ones die as I carried on." Master Fu's eyes began to shift about the room until they finally settled on the floor, as if staring into the past itself. "We _all_ die…Dat is God's plan. We cannot defeat death: We can only work to protect and preserve life while it is here. Before I learned…I made a terrible mistake…Lives were lost _because_ of me…" In that instant, the unbreakable man shattered with the presence of only a few tears. In that instant, none of the Miraculous could deny that their master was human, after all. "Like each of you, I let myself believe my powers were worthless. I mourned my losses, but felt I could never atone for my sins…To dis day, I cannot escape deh guilt and shame of what I have done, and what I failed to stop…But I have learned, destiny is _not_ something to be fought…Every life, every death, every victory, and every defeat has a purpose. In your darkest hours, remember dat." With that, the man turned back to his fire.

Rising to his feet, Adrien looked at his master, who chose not to face him, stood still for a moment, and silently ran from the room with Plagg.

"Adrien!" Marinette called out as she sprang to her feet, only for her beloved friend to slam the door and continue on his way. The dark-haired young woman threw out her hand, trying so desperately to reach the one she had loved for so long. Alya jumped to her feet and grabbed her friend's wrist.

"Let him go," Master Fu ordered, still facing his flames. "Dere is nothing we can do for him. He will listen to reason _only_ when he is ready."

Unable to contain her emotions any longer, Alya let go of Marinette's arm, and turned toward her master. "Is that what we're destined for?" she demanded, having care not to raise her voice too greatly. "To just sit back and _watch_?"

"Alya," Marinette exclaimed, her voice firm but gentle. "That's _not_ what he's saying…"

"Stay out of this!" Alya roared, shooting her best friend an icy glance. "Master, answer me: Why are we here, then? What's the point of all this?"

Master Fu finally turned away from his fire and faced the newest Miraculous. His face was grave but untouched by the emotions around him. "Have care how you speak," he ordered without anger or spite. The magnitude of her master's words subdued Alya's anger and, if only for an instant, washed over her with fear and shame. "I know dis is difficult…But it is _not_ to the Miraculous to give or take life. _All_ you can do…is give dem a _reason_ to live. Never forget dat we are not gods…but, rather, servants. Dat is all we were meant to be…Dat will be all for today." The old master returned to his fireplace, having no further concern.

"I'm sorry, Master," Alya declared with a bow.

"I understand your pain, Alya," Master Fu warmly replied. "As I do Adrien's. As I do _yours_, Marinette." Marinette glanced at her master and smiled slightly. "Power comes at a price…especially for ones as young as deh three of you. I know I have kept much from you, but you must believe when I tell you…dis _too_…shall pass. Adrien will come to you when his mind is settled. You will know what to tell him." Alya and Marinette nodded their heads. "Now, if you will excuse me, it has been _far_ too long since I have slept…"

Taking the hint, the two young women bowed to their master, gathered their things, and prepared to take leave. Suddenly, Alya ran over to the elderly man, graced him with a quick hug, and departed. Marinette, on the other hand, waited until she was alone with her master, and slowly approached him. "Master Fu," she finally spoke up. "You know better than anyone else how dangerous it is to keep secrets. When you're ready, I'm here."

"Thank you, Marinette," the old master warmly replied. Marinette nodded her head, smiled at her master, and left to catch up with Alya after closing the door behind her. "…And please…find it in your heart to forgive an old fool."

Gabriel stood at Nathalie's bedside, unable to look away from her pale, unhappy face as she slept. The day had been so long, and there was still so much for to fight through. For so long, he had been unable to speak, but the time had finally come: "Nathalie," the silver-haired man spoke just above a warm whisper. "I don't know if you can hear me. I can't bring myself to wake you up and prolong your suffering…But please, know that I am eternally grateful for _all_ you have done for my family and I…I would _never_ ask you to do this for me…And the fact that you made this sacrifice for Emilie and I, without being asked or ordered…only reinforces the fact that I do not deserve you."

Nathalie's chest elevated as she took in a heavy breath. For the first time in so long, she was at peace. Looking out the window, Gabriel watched as petals separated from the trees that grew them, only to soar across the sky and vanish within seconds. "…Forgive me, Nathalie," the man prayed. "Forgive a thankless man: One who deserved to die in her place, as well as yours. I can never repay my debt to you…nor can I take back what I have done to you. I pray you find it in your heart to forgive the monster I have become."

As Gabriel returned to his chair beside his beloved assistant, he rested his head in the palms of his hands. Somewhere in the haze and darkness of the profound agony that seemed to consume all but the renewed sense of hope, Nathalie's weak voice uttered words of redemption that only Gabriel would ever hear. Lifting his head from his silent tears and sorrow, the man gazed in awe at the unconscious woman before him. Could it be? Was there a God? And if there was, why had He taken pity on a sinner? Why would He send Nathalie to one who had fallen so far and turned his back on the light?

Sitting alone on a rooftop ledge, Adrien looked out over the city he had spent years trying to protect. Plagg soon rose out of his makeshift bed and sat at his partner's side. For a minute, they sat in silence.

"Wha'cha thinking, kid?" the black cat Kwami finally broke through the stillness.

"I don't know," Adrien answered while staring down at the city. His voice was stable for now, but the cracks were beginning to surface yet again. "I feel sick…If I only knew what was wrong with her… Maybe we could stop it."

"You mean, if it was, like, cancer?" Plagg tried to support his partner. Adrien nodded his head, inspiring the Kwami to do the same. "Yeah, I could see that. We'd just use that White Cataclysm of yours, and it'd _all_ be gone. How would we do it without her or your old man knowing, though?"

The young man felt a cool breeze flow through the beautiful blond locks his mother had blessed him with, and smiled to himself. "I wouldn't mind if Nathalie knew," he answered with hope in his voice. "I mean, I wouldn't want her to worry about me, but she'd understand. My dad, though…"

"Yeah, I know," the Kwami replied, knowing his partner's father all too well. "You know, when you and I first met, you were the _only_ person I cared about…I didn't know anyone else and really didn't want to. But, over time, I started to understand why keep some of those people close to you. Nathalie's a really special lady, isn't she?"

"She is," Adrien agreed, his voice warm. "She's_ amazing_. Sometimes I feel like I don't deserve her. She sacrifices so much to be there for me."

"Don't say stuff like that, Adrien," Plagg scolded his dear friend. "You deserve the best. You and Nathalie deserve each other…but not in a weird way."

"Thanks, man," Adrien replied. Though his mood was lightened, the young man couldn't shake the unsettled feeling in his stomach. "I'm glad I have a friend like you."

Plagg smiled, but was soon reminded of something troubling. "But, uh…I'm not the _only_ friend you've got, you know," the Kwami forced himself to do what was right. "Maybe you should go talk to Marinette and them. You know, let them know you're okay."

"I know," the blond answered. "Thanks, Plagg. Just give me a few more minutes here." Plagg nodded his head, rested his head against his friend's hip, and watched over the city with him.

Ella and Etta Césaire ran through the kitchen, each too deeply involved in their game to notice their big sister sitting at the table. Alya smiled as she watched the little ones playing and enjoying themselves. At their age, life was simple, pure, and full of happiness and possibilities. They had no worries, no concerns, and no sorrows. Reaching out her hand, the young woman grabbed a bag of potato chips. Suddenly, the young woman felt something forcing her hand down, only to find Trixx resting atop her knuckles.

"Alya, you're doing it again," the fox Kwami scolded her partner. "Are you even paying attention?"

"Leave me alone," the redheaded young woman unhappily accepted as she released the bag.

"I know you're stressed out," Trixx calmed herself, making sure to keep her voice down while the twins were in the other room. "But you _don't_ wanna start binging again. Talk to me, Alya. What's going on up there?"

Alya let out a heavy sigh through her nostrils. "It's a lot of things," she answered. "I was already worked up about what Master Fu told me, now Adrien's upset, Nathalie's sick, and it just feels like…" Terrified of what she was about to say, the young woman froze.

"Feels like what?" the fox Kwami insisted.

"…Like this whole thing is falling apart," Alya confessed before supporting her head with her hand and closing her aching eyes. "Maybe it's just me, but…I feel like our team's falling apart. None of us could help Adrien, and all I did was _sit_ there. What good am I?"

"That's not what happened," Trixx sharply replied. "You tried to help him. Besides, you were _there_ for him. What else could you have done, Alya?"

"You know, I think this whole damn thing was a mistake," the young woman angrily exclaimed. "The Miraculous, forming a team, _all_ of it! Where's it gotten us? We're all just as broken as we were before."

"No, you're _not_," the Kwami declared, her patience waning. "You've all come a long way. If you would stop beating yourself up over every freaking thing…"

"I told the old man, I'm _not_ cut out for this!" Alya's words became hollers. "I'm a mess! What good are we doing?" Trixx maintained a tense scowl as she and her partner's eyes met. Looking up from her hand, the young woman saw her sisters standing in the kitchen doorway. Each little girl seemed unsure of what was happening. "Guys, I…"

"Are you okay, Alya?" Etta asked in her naturally sweet voice.

"You said the D-word," Ella exclaimed.

"I'm sorry," Alya calmed herself. "I shouldn't have said that. I'm just…I'm having a bad day."

"Would you like to play with us?" Ella offered with a smile forming on her face.

"We're playing Ladybug and Cat _Noir_," Etta added.

"…Do you want me to be their new friend?" Alya asked hopefully. "I think her name is Volpina."

"We don't really know anything about her," the twins accidentally answered in harmony. At that, Alya felt her heart begin to crack.

"You should be Ladybug!" Ella excitedly cried out. "You'd be the _best_ Ladybug! You're so cool and strong and smart."

"Yeah, and I can be Cat _Noir_!" Etta added. "Ella, you can be the bad guy."

"Why do _I_ always have to be the bad guy?" Ella pouted. "I wanna be one of the _good_ guys!"

"Tell you what, girls," Alya happily stepped in. "How about I be the bad guy this time, and _you_ two can be the Miraculous. How's that sound?"

"Yay!" the twins happily cried out as they threw their little hands in the air.

"Go get ready in the living room, okay?" the eldest of the Césaire siblings warmly instructed. "I'll be there in a few minutes." Ella and Etta nodded their heads and ran into the living room.

"You heard it," Trixx quietly called out, turning her partner around. "From the mouths of babes. Maybe if you stop looking at the bad and start seeing that there's _good_ in you, you'll get somewhere."

"…Yeah, maybe," Alya reluctantly gave in yet again. "…Thanks, Trixx."

"Hey, that's what friends are for, dude," the Kwami lovingly replied. "Just believe in yourself. I'm only here to help you find your way." Alya smiled and nodded her head before entering the living room to play with her sisters. "…We don't make mistakes, Alya," Trixx whispered. "I wish you'd believe it when I say that."

Gazing out her window, Marinette watched as the gray skies released a stream of rain. The melancholy weather seemed all too fitting for a day like this. Letting out a sigh, the dark-haired young woman turned away from Paris and began jotting down ideas at her desk.

"You're worried about Adrien, aren't you?" Tikki declared as she floated beside her dearest friend.

"…Yeah," Marinette answered with a weight on her voice. "I wish there was something I could do, but…It's all such a mess. We're supposed to be a team, but I can tell we're crumbling." Glancing back out the window, the young woman watched as a water droplet split into three separate drops, each sliding down in a different direction. "…I hope Adrien comes around soon. I _hate_ the thoughts of him being alone at a time like this."

"Well, he's got Plagg with him," Tikki volunteered. "Besides, Adrien's strong. He'll be okay."

"Nobody's strong all the time, though," Marinette replied.

"No, but that's why we have friends," the Kwami answered. "Just knowing people are out there who care about you gives us hope. Adrien knows not to keep things to himself. He'll talk to you and Alya when he's ready. Just trust him for now, okay?"

Marinette paused for a moment, only to smile and nod her head. "I keep forgetting, _you're_ the adult here," she playfully teased her beloved friend. "Thanks, Tikki."

Suddenly, a knock on the rooftop door interrupted the two. Gazing up, Marinette smiled and turned to her partner, who already knew. Opening the door, Marinette and Tikki saw _Chat Noir_, dressed in his black costume, standing in the rain. Without hesitation, the dark-haired girl smiled and opened her umbrella and held it out over her suffering friend's head, just as he once did for her. _Chat_ smiled and graciously accepted, and, for the first time in a long time, there was peace.


	11. Renewal by Dream

Mayura

Renewal by Dream

Sitting atop Marinette's fainting couch, Adrien tightly hugged his chest with crossed arms while avoiding eye contact with his dearest friend. Outside, the rain continued to fall as the world seemed to grow colder by the moment. However, Marinette's presence made the room warm and comforting.

"You're still having trouble, aren't you?" the dark-haired young woman spoke up as she sat down on her bed. Her voice was calm and considerate as she gazed into her friend's soul.

Unable to speak without risking another tearful breakdown, Adrien simply nodded his head. Gazing at the frightened, insecure boy still trying to hide his tears, Marinette found it hard to believe he was the dashing, devilish hero she called her partner. "…I'm sorry to barge in like this," the blond young man finally managed to choke out, though his words were little more than whispers.

"You're my _friend_, Adrien," Marinette lovingly declared. "I hoped you would come to see me. The way we left each other…it was terrible."

"I'm sorry," Adrien replied, his voice still hoarse and hushed.

"Adrien," the young woman sighed. "You're in pain. You can't run from it. You've come to me before, so what makes this so different?"

Turning his head to the side and staring at the wall, the blond boy tried to steady his pounding heart and compose himself. However, despite his best efforts, he knew his strength would soon fail. "…Because, when I came to you before, it was…" Adrien stuttered through a cracking voice. "It was always because of something I did…Now, I'm just like a little kid. I can't do _anything_. I'm supposed to be stronger than this."

Marinette sat silently for a moment, unable to look away from her beloved friend in his most vulnerable hour. Unwilling and afraid to look away from the fixed point he confided in, Adrien soon felt a soft palm rest atop his dry, rough hand. Turning his head, the young man saw Marinette kneeling down in front of him with sympathetic eyes and a compassionate smile. "There's nothing you're _supposed_ to be, Adrien," she declared. "And not being strong is _nothing_ to be ashamed of. I may not have the answer to all this, but I _do_ know you're asking too much of yourself. It's like we always tell each other: Nobody can be strong all the time. That's why we're a team. Maybe we bicker and fight and storm off, but we're all here for each other. I know you can't tell Nathalie or your dad what you're going through, but I'm here for you. Don't ever try to be strong around me…okay?"

His eyes clouding over with fresh, hot tears, Adrien finally turned his head towards his friend, only to bury his face in her shoulder and break down sobbing once more. Wrapping her left arm around her friend's upper back, Marinette placed her right hand on the back of his head and gently stroked his hair.

Lying in the chilled, pale, dormant body her mind seemed to be drifting away from, Nathalie let in frequent, heavy breaths of air as she slept. Gabriel sat at her bedside, as he had for hours, having finally succumbed to exhaustion and fallen asleep. Suddenly, the purple-haired woman opened her eyes, felt the intravenous drip fall from her arm, and sat up above her covers. Gazing over at her beloved, Nathalie adored him as her body took to flight, leaving her cold cocoon behind. The woman slowly reached out her right hand for him to take, but he could not join her. Once her form rose beyond the beautiful, sorrowful soul she came to love so deeply, all that remained were blue feathers that fell from above. In the end, that was all he would have to remember her by.

Within seconds, Nathalie no longer recognized her surroundings. As the rain and cold air passed through her exposed form, she found no one but Duusu to hold. Closing her eyes, the unhappy Kwami allowed her new partner to welcome her into loving arms and cradle her next to her purest heart. Nathalie closed her eyes as she shed the last of her eternal tears. In the end, the sorrow she bore was her own.

Gasping, Nathalie awoke from her dream and jolted into a seated position. Gabriel ran to her side and steadied her arm before the needle tore her vein. "Nathalie, it's alright," he tried to assure her. "You were asleep. It was _all_ a dream. Please…"

Looking at the one she cherished so deeply, Nathalie began taking in deep gasps until she caught her breath. The woman slowly lay back down, relaxing her arms and letting her head turn to its side. Just seeing Gabriel, she knew everything would be alright. She would save him, she knew. "…My friend," she whispered through dry lips.

"Nathalie," the silver-haired man replied with concern in his voice. "You shouldn't be doing this for me. Please…I was frightened before, but I'm ready to take this burden from you."

Smiling, Nathalie's eyes released twin streams of tears that ran until they stained her sheets, as she shook her head. "No, Gabriel," she warmly answered. "This is _my_ choice: This is my destiny. I swear, you'll live to see your family made whole again." A painful lump began to form in the long-suffering woman's throat as she prepared to share the awful truth. "…That can still happen, even if I'm not there."

Gabriel's eyes grew red as bitter, desperate tears began to stream down his cheeks. "Nathalie," he choked out, though he was barely able to speak through the sorrow.

"…I love you, Gabriel," Nathalie happily confessed. "I don't have the strength to say goodbye to Adrien…So I need you to take care of him. Please, make sure he never knows. All that I ask is that Emilie returns, and the three of you live happily ever after…just like I dreamed of. Please…promise me."

Nodding his head, Gabriel found himself unable to speak. His very throat seemed to seal, though he knew he had to answer. The man placed his hand upon his Miraculous and accepted fate: "I promise, Nathalie," he finally choked out. "And thank you…for _everything_."

Nathalie smiled as her weak, tired eyes slowly closed, returning her to her dreams. Once she fell asleep, all of her pain seemed to fade away. A part of Gabriel wished that she would never awaken again, if only to spare her the pain.

Come nightfall, Adrien returned home, sat at his beloved guardian's bedside, and quietly watched over her. "Nathalie," he whispered as his heart pounded. "A part of me hopes you hear this, but another part…doesn't want you to know." Nathalie remained still, her skin as white as untouched snow. "…I'm afraid. I've been afraid ever since I found out you were sick…I keep thinking I have the power to take this from you: That I have the power to make _everything_ alright…But I guess I never did. I think that's what you tried to tell me…I'm sorry it took me so long to see that. But, I want so much to save you…because you deserve it…and because I don't want to lose you. I know it's selfish of me, but I love you so much. I know you're in pain…and if I could, I would take it all into myself…But I can't do that. I don't want you to go…but I'd rather lose you, than for you to keep suffering. If you can't take the pain anymore, I want you to know I understand. I'll never blame you. I'm just sorry I can't save you, Nathalie."

Standing before the portrait of his beloved, Gabriel remained as still as stone, his gaze never flinching. The man endured the icy silence, as he had for years. The hour was drawing near, and he had to make himself prepared.

"Master…" Nooroo nervously spoke up, his voice still weak from having been stolen. "Is it true? …Will you really surrender your Miraculous?"

"Yes, Nooroo," Gabriel answered without looking away from the sacred image. "Once she is returned to me, I'll never want that power again. I would even turn it over to the Miraculous Ones, just as long as Emilie and I can remain together with our son."

"…Will you be happy then, master?" the Kwami asked with hope in his young voice. Beneath it all, Nooroo never gave up on his dream for Gabriel.

"…I do not know," Gabriel confessed, his voice strong, though his mind was at war with uncertainty and regret.

Having returned from her patrol, Ladybug shed her Miraculous form in her bedroom, leaving Marinette and Tikki alone on yet another quiet night. Since Lila's last transformation, Hawk Moth had been all but silent. However, the presence of a new force of darkness, coupled with Nathalie's illness and the qualms among the Miraculous team, choked any relief that could be found in the absence of Akumatized.

"I'm proud of you, Marinette," Tikki warmly declared as she nibbled on a small cookie.

"Huh?" Marinette replied as she placed a towel over her sweat-glistening neck.

"The way you helped Adrien," the ladybug Kwami answered. "You've grown so strong and wise since the first time we met."

"I don't know about that," Marinette confessed with a heavy sigh. "If I was, I would've been able to stop that blow-up back at Master Fu's house, or at least do something more for Adrien and Alya."

"Marinette, don't you remember what you told Adrien when he was here?" Tikki persisted. "That nobody can be strong _all_ the time? That we don't have an answer for everything? Doesn't all that apply to you too?"

"I mean, I don't know…" the dark-haired young woman stuttered. "I…I just…"

"You can't hide it from me, Marinette," the Kwami interrupted, her sweet tone growing stern. "You give advice to others, but you still don't think you're good enough to follow it yourself. What do you have to do to prove you're just as good as those around you?"

Marinette paused for a moment, unwilling to look at anything but the floor. "…I know you're right," she finally answered. "I just…I hope I'm doing the best I can."

"You are, Marinette," Tikki assured her beloved friend and partner. "You're always there for anybody who needs you. Even when you were about to break, you still tried to help those around you. You're selfless to a fault, but we're working at that."

Just as Marinette smiled and let her doubts and fears slip away, her cell phone began to play one of its custom ringtones. "It's Alya," she declared. "Thank you, Tikki. I'll talk to you later, okay?" The Kwami nodded her head and floated over to her partner's dresser to finish her treat. "Hey, Alya. What's up?"

"I'm sorry to call you so late," Alya answered without her usual flare or enthusiasm. "But…I've had a lot floating around my head today. I just…Sorry for being a jerk earlier. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that."

"Don't worry about it, Alya," the raven-haired girl calmly replied. "You were upset."

"No, Marinette, it was wrong," the redheaded young woman sharply replied. "I shouldn't take my anger out on other people, especially you. I'm sorry, okay? How are _you_ doing? Did Adrien come to see you?"

"…I'm having a hard time too, and yes," Marinette confessed as she took a seat at her vanity mirror. "I'm trying to be there for you guys, but there's nothing I can say or do to really make things better."

"Yeah. There's a lot of that going around. Don't worry about us, girl. You need to take care of _yourself_ right now. I'll keep my phone on if you wanna talk later. Don't hesitate to wake me up, okay?"

"Thanks, Alya. I'm really glad we're all a part of this team. More than that, though, I'm glad you're my best friend. Love you."

"Love you too, girl. Try to get some sleep, okay?"

"You too, Alya."

Come midnight, Marinette, Alya, Master Fu, Adrien, and even Gabriel lay asleep in their beds. Calming their minds, coming to terms with doubts, fears, and regrets, and telling their family how much they loved them, the five struggling warriors finally managed to close their eyes and bask in the light or darkness of their dreams. Master Fu and the Miraculous all managed to find the peace and hope they needed to rest at last, and were taken in by comforting visions throughout the cold, rain-veiled night.

Nathalie remained in her Limbo, her mind wandering wildly, while Gabriel found himself standing still in a warmly illuminated room one warm summer's day. The room, that light, and the feeling in the air all pointed to one single day, which passed and faded so quickly. Now, the silver-haired man found himself in that exact moment for the first time in his life. Everything was calm as the merciful sun slowly rose over the east. Time seemed to stand still for once, as the peaceful morning went on without flaw or change. Looking away from the sun-soaked garden just outside the patio doors, Gabriel turned to Emilie as she lovingly studied him with wide eyes and a caring smile.

"What's wrong, honey?" the man asked in a gentle, youthful voice.

"Nothing at all, my love," Emilie answered with a genuine smile. "I just can't believe you're mine, is all. I know he's having fun outside, but could you bring Adrien in, please? There's something I want to tell you two."

"Yes, ma'am," the father of the Agreste family happily answered. "And, by the way, I still can't believe you're my wife. How did I get such a blessing?"

"I told you, Gabriel," the golden-haired angel answered as her husband got up to go outside. "You're one of His favorites." Turning away, Emilie dried a small dish while she waited for her family to return to her.

Standing still in that moment, unable to look away or even blink, Gabriel, shrouded in the darkness that he now resided in day by day, couldn't help but bask in his long-lost love's radiant beauty, kindness, and grace. The world she lived in was warm and kissed by Heaven itself, while he was trapped in coldness and darkness. Slowly, he reached out his pale and trembling hand, but no warmth or light would reach it. "Adrien's on his way, my love," he choked out to deaf ears. "Please…is there any way you could forgive me?"

Humming Adrien's lullaby to herself, Emilie continued with her small tasks while she awaited her beautiful husband and son. Hawk Moth could never exist in her world, nor could she ever enter his. Turning his masked face to the side, the dark Miraculous watched as Gabriel and Adrien ran in from the yard, each of them smiling and laughing. There was no fear then, nor was there darkness, hate, or loss. It was in those hours: It was in those lost days, that God's presence was clear and comforting. Hawk Moth, the demon, could only remember vague glimpses of that life, as the Hell he created to soothe his anguish and sorrow provided the cage he now rotted in.

As the shadow of a great man watched his wife and family love and laugh, he was powerless as the times changed. Not far from that day, Emilie donned the peacock Miraculous for the first time, hoping to make the world a better place for her beloved son and husband. Her cries, convulsions, and blood drenched the remainder of her days until her suffering finally ended. However, she still visited him in his dreams. The demon was born soon after that, killing the last shred of Gabriel Agreste that survived Emilie's death. Now, the Miraculous returned to take another of the broken man's loved ones.

"_Gabriel is a good man," _Nathalie declared as she and Duusu drifted through the darkness. _"He's suffered so much for so long…That's why we found each other, Duusu. We're the only ones who can save him and Emilie from death…from their sorrow."_ Looking out to a light just out of her reach, the woman saw her beloved friend alone and crying, slowly drowning in his own sorrow. _"I'm doing it for Adrien, too. He needs his mother."_

"…_What will happen to __**you**__, Nathalie?" _the peacock Kwami asked as her large eyes gazed up at her partner. Her heart and mind calmed, Duusu had grown gentle and tepid while in her friend's arms.

Somewhat shocked by the question, Nathalie took a second to calm herself and put on a strong smile. _"…It's my destiny to bear their sorrow, Duusu," _she answered, though the truth pained her terribly. _"I don't think I'll be able to handle it…I think, what I told you, was a lie. I might not be able to stay with you forever. I'll drown in the sorrow…But it'll bring Emilie back to you. Don't you miss her?" _The Kwami nodded her head. _"So do I. You'll all be a happy family again one day…That's __**my**__ dream."_

Opening her eyes to reveal ruby-red irises, Nathalie felt hot tears stream from each eye as she gasped for air. "…It's time," the woman realized. "Please, forgive me, Adrien."


	12. The Descent

Mayura

The Descent

Deep into the night, when even owls slept in refuge, a great darkness fell over the city of Paris. Lights seemed to fade as the blackest of clouds loomed around the moon and choked out its light. Soon, an icy rain began to pour down from the bleak barrier that blocked out the heavens. Adrien finally managed to fall asleep around one o'clock, his tears and concerns for his beloved guardian keeping him wide-eyed and restless in his bed until his mind drifted off.

Slowly thrusting her legs out from under the blankets that now felt as heavy as stone, Nathalie forced her cold, lightly numb feet down onto the floor, and propped her body into a seated position with the aid of her thin, chilled arms. Her greasy, unkempt hair clinging to the back of her neck and her forehead, the woman began panting as her weak body attempted to push itself forward. Finally, she forced herself to lift up off the bed and stand on her own feet for the first time in what felt like an eternity. Upon leaving the warm, soft embrace that had kept her for days, Nathalie carefully took a step, only for both of her legs to give out and cause her to collapse on the floor.

Hearing the impact, Duusu stirred and quickly came to the aid of her partner. "Nathalie," she cooed with concern in her voice. Nudging her dearest friend with her head, the Kwami began to whimper. "Nathalie?"

"I-I'm okay, angel," the purple-haired woman coughed as she rose into a kneeling position. "My legs are still weak, but I'll be alright." Slowly, Nathalie adjusted her feet, grabbed onto a nearby shelf, and forced herself back onto her feet. "Don't worry about me," she declared in a stern, driven tone. "Gabriel needs us now."

Leaning against the hallway walls for support, the suffering woman quietly winced as she made her way to Hawk Moth's lair. The strain on her weakened body was great, but the objective was all that mattered. That dream would make everything right again. Stepping in front of Adrien's bedroom, Nathalie looked inside to see her beloved charge asleep in his unmade bed. Even through the darkness, she could see the tear-stains glistening on his cheeks. "I'm so sorry, Adrien," she whispered sorrowfully. "You poor, sweet little boy…" Closing her eyes for a second, Nathalie shed a single tear as she prayed for the chance to say goodbye. "…But you don't need to cry for me…I'll bring her back for you. I love you, Adrien."

As she continued on her fearful journey, Nathalie found herself a frightened child once again. Each step she took down the dark, foreboding hallway would bring her closer to her father, her goal, her destination. The same storm raged outside, but she no longer feared the thunder. Now, she did not cry for her father's help. This was her battle: This was something greater than her.

Locked in his office, Gabriel sat at his desk in the coldness and darkness, his fingers locked in their intersection, and pondered everything that had been laid out before him. The lure of death had been so tempting since Emilie was taken, but Adrien needed his family, even its most broken pieces. The butterfly Miraculous should have been their salvation, but Hawk Moth was not enough. What good could a broken old man in a costume possibly do? Despite his desperation, though, the thought never once crossed his mind of donning the peacock Miraculous: That most hated Miraculous that stole his beloved in the first place stood as a reminder of Emilie's pain and Gabriel's shame for years, though it was given the reverence of being maintained and left alone. Suddenly, he stood up, staggered toward his precious painting, reached out to touch the sweet face that was always just out of reach, and fell to his knees in hopeless defeat.

As the silver-haired man wept alone, Nathalie felt her heart begin to ache. The pain and horror of what she was doing nearly crushed her, but she would bear the pain for those she loved. Darkness slowly began to soothe over the terrible burning in the woman's gentle, compassionate, and loving heart. Though she shed regretful tears so hot they stung her eyes, Nathalie forced herself to endure. The sweet little girl who once believed in goodness and triumph through honesty and kindness cried out from the cold, dark place she now resided, only for her screams to remain within the broken monster she had become. Morality and truth no longer mattered: Honor and kindness would wither and die. Nathalie felt the corruptive veins crack and form around her bloodshot eyes, ushering in tears as black as night. Duusu closed her eyes and allowed her energy to envelop and swaddle her beloved partner, choking out the last of Nathalie's light and leaving only Mayura's darkness and horrible beauty.

Letting out a sigh of unholy relief, the dark Miraculous approached Gabriel's office and closed her ruby eyes. The pale-blue creature slowly placed her icy hand upon the door her dear friend cried behind, and let herself feel his pain. "Gabriel," she whispered, releasing a cloud of steam from her chilled mouth. Upon making empathic contact, the dark Miraculous formed a dark-blue veil around her eyes, forming the outline of jagged feathers.

Gasping, Gabriel looked up in shock from the ground as his breath turned to icy steam as the sign of Mayura appeared around his eyes. As dark shadows surrounded the man's pupils, he felt something like Nathalie holding him in a realm beyond contact. "Gabriel, I am with you now," the woman's haunting voice declared within Gabriel's mind. "Give into your despair, your sorrow, your pain, and I shall turn them into an army: An army that will shatter the Miraculous Ones." Gabriel choked out several breaths as he attempted to take his assistant's place. "Don't fight it anymore, Gabriel…You have suffered long enough: _I_ am here to save you. Give me the emotions and fears that bind and choke you, and you will carry them no more. Thrust your suffering onto me, and together, our dream will be realized."

"…Thank you," Gabriel exclaimed as a tremendous burden was lifted from his mind, body, and soul. The relief and reassurance soothed the man's bleeding and broken heart. "Nathalie…Thank _god_ for you." As Mayura absorbed her beloved friend's negative feelings, the silver-haired man let out a sigh and laid down upon the floor.

Taking on the burden and sting of agony that was not her own, the dark Miraculous felt her body grow colder as an awful power welled up within her body. Placing her icy hand upon her throbbing, aching heart, Mayura accepted the pain, and made her way down the hallway. Upon reaching a window, the woman thrust its twin panes open, felt wings of dark feathers spread behind her back, and took to flight in the midst of what felt like an endless night.

Trembling and wincing silently, Gabriel muttered words of thanks and hope to the woman who would deliver him from the hell he had been trapped in for so long. As Mayura rose to the highest peak of the Agreste family house, she cast her wings aside and scattered their feathers around the city. Composed of rage, hopelessness, sadness, isolation, loss, and a lust for vengeance against the very world, deformed, hateful beasts were born. Each abomination let out roars and cries of sorrow and anger as they stormed the streets of Paris. As her creations rampaged, Mayura gazed down in awe as Nathalie wept tears of hopeful joy. Soon, her suffering would be over, and Gabriel's dream would be realized. "Take no lives," the dark Miraculous ordered her Avatars. Her voice echoed with darkness as its power and spite shined through. "Do no harm to _any_ but the Miraculous. Then, before they die, bring them…to me." Smiling wickedly, Mayura rose into the air and away from her home. Soon, the nightmare would be over.

Within minutes, the Akumatized Alert began to resound around the city as all citizens cleared the streets and barricaded their homes. Roaring wildly, a heavily armored creature resembling a turtle filled and charged down a two-lane road, leaving cracks and deep holes in its wake. Any vehicles parked along the way were either smashed or rammed aside in the Avatar's furious wake. At the same time, a cloaked being standing roughly eight feet tall and completely concealed by a long, flowing, and ragged black cloak, shattered windows and fragile sidings as it slowly passed them by. Though its form was vaguely human, its snarl was that of a beast. A massive bird then flew over the suffering city, molting its black wings that splattered into immense puddles of dark, inky water upon hitting the ground. As the avian nightmare released a deafening caw, a gray and white wolf rivaling any car on the road, coated in flowing, grizzly fur, and glaring at the world with red eyes, let out a loud and lonely howl from atop a tall apartment roof. Its gaping mouth wide open, a frog-like Avatar dragged its round, bloated stomach though the sidewalk as fast as its small, finned legs would carry it, all the while consuming anything in its path. Finally, an ashen figure with a feminine structure and long, greasy, coarse hair as black as the night scanned the city as she walked toward an unseen target.

"Their reign of terror shall come to an end!" Mayura cried out with rage and passion in her darkened voice. Standing proudly upon the Eiffel Tower, her ominous figure unflinching in the savage storm, the dark Miraculous outstretched her arms and looked up at the blackened sky. "And they will be exposed and disgraced before the world they deceived!" Lightning flashed across the entirety of Paris' sky, choking out all other light as darkness rose.

Her eyes flashing open and returning her mind from a dream, Marinette gasped at the dark aura flooding Paris. Tikki's fur furrowed, the little Kwami breathed heavily and fixed her focused pupils toward the source of the unnatural disturbance. At the same time, Adrien and Alya received messages on their communicators as their Kwami began to ruffle their fur and hiss at something out of sight. Whispering heartfelt goodbyes and prayers for safety to their family, the three Miraculous locked their doors and made their escape from their homes. Alya took an extra minute to tuck her baby sisters in and whisper a promise in their ears: "Everything is gonna be okay." Clenching her pounding heart as she awoke, as if summoned, Lila stared up at her ceiling with her mouth gaped open as she desperately tried to catch her breath. At the same time, Sabrina and Chloé were thrust from their dreams, their gentle embrace of one another broken.

As rain began to pour over their tormented city, Marinette, Adrien, and Alya slipped past the checkpoints and made their way to Master Fu's apartment as they had agreed on. The old master promptly checked and answered his door before ushering his students inside and locking the door behind them. Lightning flashed and thunder roared in the chaotic skies, but the Miraculous Ones remained calm on the outside. Following tradition, the three teenagers took a seat upon the floor while their Kwami continued to snarl and hiss.

"Master," Marinette spoke up, her voice heavy with concern. "I sense a terrible darkness. The Kwami haven't been able to calm down. What's happening?"

His elderly grimace sinking into a deeply troubled frown, his eyes closed, Master Fu slowly approached his window and stood perfectly still in front of it. "Deh day I have feared, has finally come," he gravely declared. "Deh _dark_ Miraculous challenges the light."

"Hawk Moth?" Adrien asked as he rose to his feet and took a single step closer to his master.

"No," the old master answered plainly and without doubt. "It is one _far_ more broken. A Miraculous dat fell to corruption: one dat escaped our grasp long ago, has revealed itself. Deh Peacock Miraculous has found a new holder, and has consumed deir mind and body."

"Don't blame yourself for this, Master," Alya spoke up as she approached her teacher.

"Now is not deh time for blame or innocence, Alya," Master Fu replied, turning away from the city. "Each of you must accept deh challenge of deh dark one. Be warned: You have all come to know Hawk Moth's assaults, but _not_ his true power. Dis time, you face an opponent we have _no_ insight to. We have only glimpsed at deir power, but know nothing of deir true power or cruelty. You must all work together, take no risk, and reclaim what has been lost. Dis will be deh night dat each of you proves _who_ you are…and for _what_ you stand."

Marinette, Adrien, Alya, Tikki, Plagg, and Trixx looked at one another, nodded their heads, made their peace as best they could, and linked their hands. Master Fu opened his window and stepped back to allow his finest students to charge forward, leap through, and each land on a distant neighboring rooftop.

"The battle for everything," Marinette declared. "Ready, everybody?"

"Ready!" Adrien, Alya, and the Kwami announced in harmony.

"In the name of love, Tikki, Spots On!"

"In the name of justice, Plagg, Claws Out!"

"In the name of dreams, Trixx, Let's Pounce!"

Master Fu watched in awe and pride as his students summoned the Miraculous Light and took on the form of the holy warriors of old. Ladybug, _Chat Noir_, and Volpina stood tall in the pouring rain and freezing wind, each ready and willing to give everything to protect the people of Paris. Despite their fears and troubles, they would fight and sacrifice to save the just and unjust from the maw of darkness. The very drops of rain seemed to split and fall away from the Miraculous Ones as they glanced into the city. "Go!" the old master ordered. "Shatter deh forces of evil, once and for all!"

The three Miraculous made their vow, gave their master one last look of reassurance, and charged into the heart of their suffering city. Once the three were out of sight, Master Fu turned in the direction of _Le Grand Paris_ and studied it as the rain continued to pour.


	13. Indelible Battle

Mayura

The Indelible Battle

Gazing down at the city of Paris, the city she had lived in most of her life, the city she worked, dreamed, loved, confided, and thrived in, Mayura, no longer resembling Nathalie Sancoeur in any way, save for her passion and desire to save the ones she loved, smiled a sinister smile as her Avatars stormed their hunting grounds. Even as the icy rain drenched her shoulders, the dark Miraculous felt a powerful warmth envelop her chilled body and soul: Emilie held her then, wrapping her warm, loving arms around the being that would save her and her husband. Through Emilie and Gabriel's love, there was nothing Mayura could not do. No longer afraid, she stepped back and basked in the glorious storm raging around her.

Amidst a violent flash of lightning, a purple-haired child appeared in front of the pale-blue woman, her eyes reddened and flowing with tears, and her face locked into a disappointed scowl. Displaying no sign of shock or surprise, Mayura gazed down at the unhappy little girl as the rain drenched them both. For a moment, neither spoke, though their gaze was unbroken. Suddenly, the child took a step closer to the ominous figure, the latter never flinching or changing her cold expression. As the two stared at one another, all tension faded along with any sense of time, leaving only sadness. "…What happened to me?" the little girl asked with sorrow and growing fear in her cracking voice. "How did I turn into you?"

"You know the answer to that," Mayura answered coldly with the voice her childhood self would recognize as an evil queen. "This change, painful though it was, was out of necessity." Reaching out her left arm and placing the backs of her cold fingers upon the child's cheek, the dark Miraculous slowly walked around her visitor. "If we hold on to _who_ we were in the past, we will remain weak and helpless forever more. Who you are, what you are, was no longer needed, so I put you away." Passing behind the child, Mayura's cloak grazed her little leg as the dark woman made her way to another vantage point. "You know there was no choice. This is all to save the ones I love."

"…But do you really think they'd still love you if they saw what you let me become?" the little girl asked as she clenched her small, chubby hands into fists. "Do you even know what love _is_ now?"

Mayura smiled and snickered to herself. "You are nothing more than an unhappy and helpless child," she declared in an icy, satisfied tone. "Your presence is meaningless, and your values little more than fairy tales. The world, in time, breaks us all. There are those who deny it and try to carry on, there are those who cower and hide, clinging desperately to the past or begging others for help: Children crying out for Momma and Papa, and then there are those who _learn_, grow stronger, and swallow the poison of this world in order to become something greater."

"Greater?" the child repeated in disgust. "You let me turn into everything that's _wrong_ with the world. You're no better, you're _worse_. Face it, Nathalie, you're just like Mom."

"_Never_ compare me to her!" Mayura screamed as she snapped herself around to glare at the wretched girl she had wished away. Within a moment's time, the woman regained her composure, though her tone was darkened. "And don't call me Nathalie anymore…That's _your_ name. I am Mayura now." The dark Miraculous and the innocent child stared at one another as lightning flashed and thunder crackled all around them. "Tell me, what did you ever accomplish in life? When you were afraid, who comforted you? When you were alone, who did you turn to? When you fell, how did you pick yourself up?

'You needn't answer. I already know: You never accomplished anything. No one was there when you were scared, so you just cried alone and remained afraid. When there was no one to turn to, you tried to run instead of looking inside yourself. Then, when you fell time and time again, you _never_ picked yourself up. You stayed on the ground in the mud and rubble, crying and begging for Papa to come save you. And then that horrible day came when you realized he was never coming back…What did you do then, Nathalie?"

Lowering her head, the little girl let her tears fall alongside the raindrops. "…You're _wrong_," she declared with a strength Nathalie never remembered having. "Every day was an accomplishment for me. Things were hard, but I kept trying. I made it through every day, even when I wanted to give up. When I cried and got scared, Papa was there for me. Even when I was alone, I never gave up. I kept my family in my _heart_, even after they were all gone. I never learned to chase away my fears, though. They're still here, but I don't run from them anymore." As the child spoke, her voice grew stronger and more mature. Opening her eyes to the world before her, Mayura found herself facing Nathalie as a teenager. "Yeah, I wasn't perfect. I screwed up, took the easy way out a couple of times, hid from my problems, and just blamed it all on my mother. But I moved on. I worked hard. I took my life back. Even when others did better than me, I still kept going. I wasn't competing or proving anything. I was _never_ alone. That's something _you_ taught yourself after you gave up on who you are."

Mayura's face tightened, but she no longer had the words to fight back.

"When I fell down," Nathalie, now a strong, confident, and capable woman, declared without fear or regret. "I picked myself up by staying true to who I am, not what others made me."

"And what came of it?" Mayura challenged her opponent. "Were you able to stop Emilie from dying? …Were you able to save Gabriel? Were you even able to be there for Adrien when he needed you?"

"…There was nothing that could be done for Emilie," Nathalie finally accepted the truth. "When she first put on the peacock Miraculous, she was lost. I was there for Gabriel and Adrien, but it was up to Gabriel to save himself. And as for Adrien, I did everything I could. You and I know that. But all that stopped mattering to you, didn't it? You chose to only see the _pain_, the failures, and what you _couldn't_ do. You let yourself bear the weight of Gabriel's pain, making his sins and abuse _your_ responsibility. The world didn't break you, Nathalie…You let _yourself_ be broken." Mayura snarled and turned away from the unwanted reminder of her past. "What was it you told Gabriel that night? It wasn't long ago…You couldn't have forgotten…'It's not too late for you.'" Silence filled the night, leaving only the distant echoes of thunder. "All those times you told him not to give up…you were _never_ talking about his mad plan to bring back his wife…You were telling him to keep living. You _knew_ his goal would only bring pain."

"Shut up!" Mayura screamed as she slashed her claw through the woman she used to be. "This world is one of pain…Gabriel needs me to deliver him from his suffering…just like Emilie needs me to bring her back…Why should _any_ of us have to be alone?" Finding herself alone yet again, the dark Miraculous stared into the void for one last moment before returning to the city. Time resumed as it always did, without mercy or compassion. However, she would repay it in kind. Mayura's anger quickly faded as a malicious smile formed on her pale-blue face. "…This is the only way. If the world won't show us mercy, then we'll _force_ it to."

The turtle Avatar roared at the stars as it rammed its body against a row of parked cars, its anger reigning. As the vehicles' windshields and windows shattered, the beast snarled and continued on its rampage. Suddenly, the Avatar felt a small object collide with its armored cheek and turned towards its point of origin. Wearing a fake smile, _Chat_ playfully bounced a tin can in the palm of his hand. "What would Splinter think if he saw this?" the Miraculous asked before catching the can and chucking it at his foe. As the beast prepared to charge, _Chat Noir_ turned and ran into the night and away from the heart of the city. Unable to see reason through its rage, the turtle Avatar gave chase.

Screeching at the world, the avian Avatar struggled to maintain flight as a strong wire wrapped around its neck. Her feet planted on a nearby rooftop, Ladybug summoned all of her strength to pull the monster toward her. Soon, the creature turned its head, staring into the young woman's eyes as its own flowed with tears. The sight nearly brought the Miraculous to her knees, but she forced herself to remain strong. Flapping its wings, the sorrowful Avatar changed its course to strike its opponent. "Come on, birdbrain!" Ladybug cried out as she ran away from the massive bird. "Oh, man…Good thing _Chat_ didn't hear that."

As the Avatar caught up with its foe, the raven-haired young woman jumped from her perch and landed atop the beast's back. The Miraculous then pulled back on her yo-yo and steered the bird toward the Seine River.

Snarling as it continued on its unhappy journey, the cloaked Avatar heard the patter of boots upon the street behind it. Turning around, the human-like creature suddenly found itself blinded by an orb of white light. As the Avatar struggled, a powerful force thrust against its body and drove it onto its back. "Sorry to use such a dirty trick," Volpina declared as she quickly scanned her opponent. _Yeah, no way that's an Akumatized_, she deduced through the Miraculous' intuition. "Huh…you're so much smaller up close." The hopeless Avatar attempted to rise up again, only to find itself pinned down by Volpina's staff. "I hate having to do this…If there's any part of you that can hear this, I hope you guys live on after you disappear, just like the Akuma."

Realizing its failure, the Avatar let out a loud sigh of defeat, and faded into smoke. Once the bearer of hopelessness was nothing more than a memory, Volpina composed herself and sought out her next opponent. Ladybug and _Chat Noir_ shared her concern and doubts, but the Miraculous had an obligation to the people of Paris.

Maintaining a safe distance, _Chat_ managed to lure the turtle out of the city, just as Ladybug flew overhead atop the wicked bird. Being forced to bathe within its unending miasma of sorrow and unhappiness, the ladybug Miraculous continued to force the bird towards the river, even as her hot, red, tear-soaked eyes continued to release salty streams down her reddened cheeks. Though she fought to remain in control, Marinette found herself unable to turn away from the day her grandfather died, the time Alya was Akumatized, and all the times she had disappointed her family and friends. The sorrow ran so deep Ladybug soon found she was longing to harm herself. "Don't give in," she sobbed to herself. "This sorrow isn't yours…Remember hope…Life goes on…Tomorrow will be filled with light."

At last, as if by a miracle, Ladybug and _Chat Noir_ were able to see the Seine River. Its waters would be a baptism in this darkest of nights. The feline Miraculous glanced back one last time to see the Avatar of rage charging at him, completely unaware of its surroundings. At the same time, Ladybug began to loosen her yo-yo as her breath grew heavier. Upon reaching the water, _Chat Noir_ jumped forward without hesitation, as if he intended to leap over the river in a single bound. Focused only on killing its opponent, the turtle tore through the ground, snorting and grunting in a fit of wrath, and lunged forward to swallow its prey. However, its weight dragged it down, as did the weight of its anger and hatred, and the unhappy creature fell into the waves, which immediately washed away its very presence. "Maybe those waters will make you clean," _Chat_ declared without his usual flare or humor.

Knowing the plan, Ladybug forced the bird into a nose-dive directly over the Seine. Though her heart pounded, the young woman found herself growing tired. The sadness, like quicksand, was pulling her under. In that descent, one millions voices of doubt, failure, and loss flooded her mind. "Think of all the people you've lost," they said. "Why do _you_ have to keep fighting? Aren't you tired? Just give up. You can just keep holding on. Let the holy bird carry you away from your suffering. In death, you'll find peace. Don't fight it." Sniffling, Ladybug felt a thick stream of mucus drip and cling to her nose as her hot, burning tears nearly blinded her. She truly was tired. From a distance, _Chat_ clung to a wall overlooking the river, and prepared himself to do what he had to. As the Avatar of sorrow let out one final cry, Ladybug closed her eyes, releasing even more tears, clenched her wire tightly, and looked up to the sky. Seeing that his friend wasn't trying to save herself, the feline Miraculous threw himself forward over and over again, each lunge a desperate attempt to reach her. Once she could smell the water, Ladybug let in one last, sorrowful gasp, pulled the yo-yo off the creature's neck, and released her hold on it. The Avatar collided with the sea with such speed it created an artificial rainfall. _Chat Noir_ jumped forward, caught his beloved partner, and performed a summersault in mid-air, successfully landing on the grass nearby.

Sniffling, Ladybug dried the last of her tears, opened her eyes, and looked at the young man holding her like a damsel in distress. As the water of the Seine sprinkled over their heads, the two gazed into one another's eyes for a moment, and smiled lovingly at their partner.

"You alright, M'Lady?" _Chat_ asked, finally sounding like his old self again.

"Yeah," Ladybug answered with a smile. "Even though you ruined my landing."

After a second of disbelief-filled silence, the two burst out laughing. Amidst that laughter, Ladybug pressed the palms of her hands on her friend's cheeks, leaned forward, and kissed his wet forehead. "Thanks for saving me, kitty," she warmly declared before stepping down onto her own two feet. _Chat_ blushed heavily, feeling like an overwhelmed schoolboy once again. "Come on. Volpina needs us."

"Right," the blond young man managed to choke out as he followed his partner back to the city.

Seeing through the eyes of her Avatars, Mayura shed tears as cold as ice at their loss. The world had grown so dark, and hope seemed shattered once more. Though the desire to submit to the crushing, awful reality was strong, the dark Miraculous forced herself to remain staunch for the sake of those she loved. "The Miraculous Ones must be stopped," she snarled into the ears of her wretched and unhappy army. "…Target the Fox. Her powers are great, but not her will. Without her allies, she will be made to fall."

As the remaining three Avatars uttered their silent compliance, an icy wind passed through the city as the very rain seemed to slow itself. Mayura's view of the city became blurred as she lost her footing, forcing her to grab onto a nearby railing. The pain she had survived once now returned. Gasping sharply, the dark Miraculous froze as her tears turned to blood. "…Not now," Nathalie's weakened, powerless voice begged. As her hold on the cold bar tightened, Mayura lunged forward as a large stream of blood belched from her mouth and splattered before her. Though the sight was horrific, she maintained her composure. "I can endure…just until I know you're safe, Gabriel," Mayura whispered her prayer to the one she loved. "Please…don't forget me, my friend…Don't forget me, Adrien…Find it in your heart to forgive me one day." Closing her eyes in shame, the dark Miraculous returned to the hellish reality her life had become. Before her agonizing humanity faded once more, the woman shed one last loving tear. "…And let this be our last dance with devils," she prayed.


	14. War in Darkness

Mayura

War in Darkness

"Come on, Adrien," Gabriel's younger, kinder, gentler voice echoed as he ran through the tall grass of an open field. The sun's light was warm and radiant, though the images were softened and blurred.

"You can do it, sweetheart," Emilie's inspiring, loving voice added as her white sundress blew in the warm breeze. Taking her husband's hand, the woman continued to run, as if she intended to run into the warm, heavenly sun.

Still young, not yet strong, Adrien attempted to catch up with his mother and father, but fell into the grass, scattering pink and white flower petals into the air. That was when two hands reached out, gently grabbed under the boy's underarms, lifted him up, and set him atop their shoulders. Looking down, the child closed his eyes and beamed. "You're the best, Nathalie," his young voice echoed.

"Hold on tight, Adrien," Nathalie's younger, joyful voice lovingly instructed as she held her charge's feet in-place. The woman began to run, inspiring Adrien to cry out in blissful excitement. Within seconds, the two had caught up with Mister and Misses Agreste, and the four of them walked into the sun together.

Closing her darkened eyes, Mayura bore her sorrow and allowed those wonderful memories to remain in her past. That blessed sun faded and died long ago, leaving the skies cold and empty as icy rain poured from its terrible, dark clouds. All the lights of Paris had grown black as its so-called protectors fought and spilled the blood of the righteous. Looking down, Mayura watched as her wolf of isolation collided with _Chat Noir_ in midair, driving the Miraculous back until he collided with the road, splattering its many puddles into the air. The wolf snarled as it pinned its prey to the ground. Crying out something inaudible, Ladybug charged forward before throwing her yo-yo at the lonely Avatar. The beast bit down on the wire, trapping the magical weapon in its mouth, before jerking its head to the side and pulling the ladybug Miraculous face-forward into the street. Despite the pain, the young woman maintained her grip.

"Now!" Mayura ordered the Avatar of loss.

Volpina charged toward her allies, aiming for the light of their presence, only to feel something wrap around her waist and constrict her. Turning just in time to see the hideous face of the gluttonous frog, the fox Miraculous was helpless as it retracted its tongue and swallowed her whole.

"Volpina!" Ladybug screamed with such realized fear, such desperation, and such disbelief that her throat grew numb. In all the years she had been a Miraculous, after all the terrible things she had to witness, and all the pain she and her loved ones had endured, there was no horror greater than the unnatural and hellish moment where an unholy beast took Marinette's oldest and dearest friend away from her. Despite Tikki's pleads, apologies, and attempts to calm her partner, Marinette continued to scream in terror, her eyes flowing with tears, mucus streaming from her nose, and thick strands of saliva webbing up her raw throat and mouth. _I never wanted this life for her, _the young woman cried out in her ailing mind. _I prayed, I fought so hard…And I couldn't even save her._ As the Miraculous struggled and fought to reach her friend, the wolf Avatar only snarled and pulled her to the ground once more.

His feline eyes focusing on his partner, _Chat Noir_ could only listen and guess what tragedy had befallen his friend. As Ladybug screamed, the blond young man felt hot tears filling his eyes and streaming down his cheeks, all the while staring at her as the wolf held him down. Unable to so much as blink, the feline Miraculous felt the crushing loneliness and growing distance between his friends and family and himself weigh heavily on his weary mind and aged soul. As the wolf's paws slowly crushed his wrists, the young man slowly began to accept abandonment. Plagg's desperate attempts to rescue his beloved partner fell upon deaf ears. Closing his tired eyes, Adrien prepared himself for his lonely and eternal rest.

Opening her eyes in utter darkness, Volpina felt the warmth of the world fade into an awful coldness that drove her body nearly to the point of complete numbness. Dangling on the threshold of physical apathy, the fox Miraculous attempted to lift herself back onto her feet, but soon found her arms and legs were too heavy to move. Each breath she took in was long, heavy, and the product of a growing struggle.

In this horrible, wretched place, Volpina came to realize she was cold, alone, weak, and surrounded by stale air in a dank and decaying pit where light refused to shine. All the while, the unbearable weight of her many losses threatened to crush her mind and shatter her heart. "Trixx?" she called out in a weak, hoarse voice. No one responded. "Trixx!" the so-called Miraculous croaked, only to be met with the sound of water dripping onto an unseen surface. After a minute, the young woman let out a heavy sigh, and fell silent. "…Now I've lost even you, huh, Trixx?" she said to herself, knowing her words would not carry beyond the haze of silence.

Though there was no light, Alya was able to see herself in the foul hell she had been cast into: Her cold, weak body trembled naked and helpless in a fetal position neither on air nor land. Her Miraculous was nowhere to be found, and all comfort had faded from her reality. Gazing down, she saw her swollen, bloated belly exposed, though it attempted to hide itself beneath her defensive position. "So this is all I am now," the young woman shamefully declared as the tears continued to flow down her cheeks. "A weak, helpless little girl who can't stop gorging herself, much less save her friends. I'm the same useless kid I've always been…How disgusting." Closing her eyes, Alya tightened her stance and cradled her aching and distended tummy. "I've lost everything…I've lost my friends, my Miraculous, my recovery…I've lost _everything_."

Time passed by slowly. Minutes stretched to the course of hours, all the while dragging through the frost of a forgotten future. Ladybug continued to scream as she helplessly struggled to pull her yo-yo from the wolf's mouth. _Chat Noir_ refused to fight any more, having only Ladybug to keep him from his unhappy demise. Alya slowly faded in the filthy bowels of the frog, having no one and nothing to fight her way back to. Her sisters seemed so far away, their faces disappearing in the shadows. Nino's face passed by as well, followed by Adrien, and then Marinette. Every life, every smile, and every name was nothing more than another loss. Closing her eyes and forcing away the painful memories, Alya's Miraculous form grew weaker with each passing moment.

"Now…" Mayura whispered to the horrible creature she had crafted. "Bring her to me."

Unable to feel the frog's movement, the African-American young woman looked at the arm that once bore the fox Miraculous. "It would be so easy to just give up," her failing voice croaked. "No more loss…no more fear…no more pain. I guess Master Fu was right about that test…Too bad I didn't pass it. Trixx, you said you'd always be there for me. Where did you go?" The temptation to fall into a deep sleep in the icy embrace of sorrow and loss was so strong, but Alya found herself unable to let go. "…But, they're still out there," she realized, inspiring hope within her heart. "I'm not alone…But I've lost so many people…" Closing her eyes, the young woman searched her heart for a single companion. "I've lost so many friends, but I've made more. I have _real_ friends now: I have friends I _couldn't_ drive away. Marinette, Adrien, Nino, Trixx, Master Fu…you'll never leave me, will you? And, even if they did, it's not too late to move on." A dim light began to shine within the cold, swamp-like darkness, empowering Alya to push herself onto her stomach and plant her hands into the ground. "…It's not over…_I'm_ not over…" Slowly, the Miraculous pushed her body upward until her feet lay flat upon the tangible surface below her body. "I'm _never_ alone!" In defiance of the terrible darkness, Volpina rose to her feet, shook off the last of her sadness, and drew her flute.

Her connection with her victim waning, Mayura's eyes widened in terror. The frog Avatar carried itself one step closer to its master before it froze in its tracks, closed its eyes, and lowered its head in shame. Time seemed to stand still as Ladybug and _Chat Noir_ took their eyes off the wolf and gazed at the living prison their friend now resided in. The wind then carried a sweet and calming sound that drove the great and terrible frog to turn around just as its bloated exterior melted into the earth, leaving Volpina standing tall, her flute gracing her lips, and free of any wound or filth.

The wolf Avatar howled furiously at the loss of its companion and began to foam at the mouth. Turning back to her opponent, Ladybug picked herself up off the cold, wet ground, gripped the wire of her yo-yo tighter than before, and prepared herself. "If you want it so badly," she declared with renewed passion in her voice. "Then take all it's got! Lucky Charm!"

A sudden blast of holy, glistening light shined through the ferocious Avatar's fangs, forcing its jaw open. Once the light faded, Ladybug reclaimed her yo-yo and received her Charm in the form of a massive leash. The Miraculous quickly swung the red and black-spotted rope around the wolf's front legs before it could recover from the flash of light.

"Toss it!" Volpina cried out as she charged forward. Ladybug nodded her head and threw the loose end of the leash to her newest ally. Upon grabbing the Charm, Volpina pulled with all her might and successfully broke the beast's position, freeing _Chat Noir_ and sending it forward in a helpless drop.

His will broken by sorrow and loneliness, _Chat_ closed his eyes and awaited his death, only for Ladybug run to him and catch the wolf before its body could crush him. As his senses returned, the feline Miraculous gazed at his savior as she felt the icy sting, her old pain, return to her yet again. "Forgive me," he whispered as he focused his strength. Without hesitation, _Chat_ lunged forward as his right hand flowed with corruptive black energy, never taking his eyes off his target. "Cataclysm!"

Letting out one final howl that served as both an acceptance of defeat and a farewell to its master, the Avatar of isolation was reduced to a stone-like state, only to crumble and scatter to dust that dissipated in the rain. Mayura shed a single, streaming tear of blood before turning to her final creation.

"_Chat_!" Ladybug cried out as she caught her friend before he could collapse. The young woman lowered herself to her knees as she turned her partner onto his back and supported his head atop her lap. "You used your Cataclysm."

"And you used your Lucky Charm," _Chat Noir_ replied, still shaken from the ordeal.

Volpina slowly walked to her friends' side, wearing a look of concern.

"Thank God you're okay," Ladybug declared as she turned to her oldest and dearest friend. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you."

"…Don't be," the fox Miraculous answered without her usual sense of confidence. "That was something I had to do on my own. You two are gonna change back soon. You've got to run."

"We're not leaving you," _Chat_ argued. "There's still one more of those things out there."

"I can take care of _myself_," Volpina shot back. "Besides, you can't take them on without your powers."

As her friends bickered, Marinette felt the conflict within raging. For so long, she had fought to protect Alya from the Miraculous, from harm, and from the life she and Adrien had to live. Now, she had to make her decision, no matter how painful it was. "…Enough," Ladybug finally declared, her tone sharp. "_Chat_, the choice is yours, but remember Nathalie needs you. Volpina, I won't let you sacrifice yourself. We work as a _team_."

"And a team needs _all_ its parts," the feline Miraculous answered as he slowly rose back onto his feet. "If we don't stick together, we won't make it out of this." _Chat_ turned to Ladybug with a look of gravity upon his face. "…I'm not going anywhere," he boldly declared. "Volpina, can you watch our backs while our Kwami recover?"

"You've got it," Volpina answered, her voice strong. "But I'm on the _frontlines_ with you two. I'm not sitting this one out…Got it?" Alya's eyes turned to Ladybug.

"…We work as a _team_," Ladybug decided, her voice grave. "…We're all on the frontline now."

Volpina slowly nodded her head. "…Thanks, Marinette," she whispered as a great weight was lifted from her shoulders.

"I believe in you, Alya," the ladybug Miraculous whispered back with a bright gleam of hope in her voice. "You too, Adrien."

"Same with you two," _Chat Noir_ answered before reaching out his hand for Ladybug to take. With that, the two jumped into the air and settled atop the joining section of a two-building complex. Closing their eyes, the two returned to their human forms before facing one another. "You know, even after all this time, I still can't believe it's you."

Marinette giggled as Tikki settled on her shoulder and Plagg settled on Adrien's. Even with the years they spent fighting side-by-side, the revelation, and the months they had to adjust, seeing Adrien as Marinette was still a thrilling and overwhelming experience. "Come on, stud," she continued to giggle. "We've still got a job to do."

With the wind and rain serving as cover, Volpina held her flute tightly in preparation. Though her fears and doubts continued to plague her, she would continue to fight. "Mari, when this is over, I need to tell you…" the young woman confessed to herself. "…I need to tell you how happy I am to finally be fighting by your side. And how proud I am to be equal to you and Adrien. I never really knew it before, but I've always wanted to be a hero. Thanks for giving me the chance."

"_I'm proud of you too, Alya," _Trixx happily declared as her projection hugged the young woman. _"All you had to do was believe in yourself."_

"I'm ready to go, Marinette!" Tikki excitedly declared as she finished her cookie.

"Yeah, me too," Plagg added as he swallowed the last of his cheese.

"Good," Marinette happily replied. "Now, let's save the city and get your friend back." The two Kwami nodded their heads.

"Hey, Marinette?" Adrien spoke up, though his voice lacked _Chat Noir's_ courage. "About Alya…"

Marinette lowered her head and stared at the floor. "I _never_ wanted this life for her," she declared once again. "Ever since she first met Ladybug, I could tell she wanted to be like me. But, she didn't know how hard it really was, or how much we had to sacrifice. I always told myself it was okay because we were doing the right thing, but I'd think to myself, "We didn't get a choice, but I'll make sure _she_ does.""

"You know that doesn't fall on you," the blond young man warmly replied. "Besides, you and I _did_ get a choice. We could've put the Miraculous back or thrown them away…Nobody could expect us to become superheroes. And nobody could blame us for saying no."

"Maybe," Marinette answered with the hint of a hopeful smile forming on her face. "But, either way, I'm glad to fight by you and Alya's side. You ready to go?"

"Ready to go," Adrien answered with a smile and a nod.


	15. The End of All Sorrow

Mayura

The End of All Sorrow

"They're all together now," Mayura declared as she watched her enemies through the eyes of her final Avatar. "…The world would be a better place _without_ Miraculous. No more fallen angels pretending to be heroes…" As the pale-blue woman coldly stared on, Duusu appeared and took up rest upon her shoulder. "With your help, I'll be the last of their kind. Then, you'll be free."

"…I wouldn't mind staying in the Miraculous…as long as I could be with you, Nathalie," the long-suffering Kwami warmly declared.

"Don't get too close to me, Duusu," Mayura declared with pain in her voice. "I'll be gone soon. But Emilie will _never_ leave you again." Duusu's feathers wilted as her eyes darkened with sadness. Taking pity on her beloved friend, the dark Miraculous placed her icy hand upon the Kwami's back and lightly petted her feathers until she settled down and returned to her pin.

With one final crackle of thunder, the storm dissolved into the darkness of the night, rendering all of Paris silent. Her heart freezing over once more, Mayura smiled and stepped forth. The rain had washed away the remnants of violence, the weight of sin, and the fear of what was to come. Each drop purified the world, and all who remained true and upright. The just had been separated from the unjust, and the wicked would burn in the light of day. Turning to her right, Mayura saw Gabriel standing beside her, finally wearing the beautiful, radiant smile the world had taken from him so long ago. Smiling back, the dark Miraculous turned to her left, where Emilie held little Adrien in her healthy, loving arms. Both were beaming with joy, all thanks to Mayura.

"…Take care of him for me, Emilie," Mayura happily choked out, wanting nothing more than to hold that sweet little boy's hand one more time. Emilie nodded her head and smiled. "And Gabriel, too. He needs others more than he knows."

Facing forward, the pale-blue woman froze as the dull, gray image of her lost mother appeared as a revenant. Her face was as stern, cold, and angry as Nathalie remembered, and the audacity of her presence burned more than ever. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded with hatred lacing her words like the venom of a snake.

After a moment of doubt and silence, Mayura smiled as a dark comfort freed her mind. "What _you_ never could," she answered without remorse or hesitation. "Goodbye, Mother." At that, the dark Miraculous cast her left hand outward through the image of a loveless and forgotten, causing it to dissipate until the very thought of it vanished. With all distractions gone, Mayura breathed a sigh of relief before opening her eyes through the Veil of Feathers, illuminating her mark upon the final Avatar's face. This would be the final battle, from which peace and freedom would be born. Then, once the wish had been granted, the final Miraculous would fade into nothingness.

Her eyes opening through her ashen, black-scuffed domino mask, a young woman so pale her veins were clearly visible, focused her red-and-black irises as her mistress guided her to her target. Stepping forward, the last Avatar walked under the dim glow of a streetlight, revealing her to be a nearly emaciated, ashen-cloaked shadow of Ladybug. Though her movements were slow and calculated, the woman held only one goal in mind as she slung a red and black-spotted, twin-bladed greatsword over her bony shoulder. "No more lies…" she croaked in a weak, weary shadow of Ladybug's voice. "No more suffering… No more broken promises… No more fighting… No _more_ Miraculous." Seeing through her creation's eyes, Mayura continuously shed tears of blood, though it no longer concerned her.

As expected, Ladybug, _Chat Noir_, and Volpina emerged from the shadows, spotted their final opponent, spoke amongst themselves without stopping or taking their eyes off their target, and began a charge. Unimpressed, the final Avatar swung out her blade, piercing the cement of the sidewalk and leaving a large slit as she continued on her way. Within seconds, her slow gait turned into a violent march.

"My god," _Chat_ had exclaimed upon seeing the ashen figure. "It's you, Ladybug."

"I know it's a fake, but seeing you like that kills me," Volpina declared with pain and sympathy in her voice.

"I know," Ladybug replied with understanding. "But we can't hold back. Those creatures suffer every second they're forced to exist. We have to end this here and now."

"You're _all_ here now," the final Avatar declared in her hoarse voice. "I'll give the Cat and Fox a chance to surrender…but, Ladybug, I must kill."

"How _dare_ you use her voice!" _Chat_ screamed as he extended his claws. For years, Ladybug's voice had served as council, comfort, and a source of hope for the young man, and to witness such a repulsive mockery of his hero speaking in her voice was blasphemy. Unable to contain his anger and disgust, the feline Miraculous sprinted forward.

In that same instant, Volpina and Ladybug ran forward, each driven by a sudden surge of anger. From atop the darkened Eiffel Tower, Mayura's face ignited with a smile so devilish she no longer resembled anything human. _Chat Noir_ swung his claw at the Avatar's throat, only for her to jump back. Volpina drew her flute, dropped into a sliding kick, and smashed it into the leg of the imitation of her friend, bringing the pale imposter to her knees. Ladybug then threw her yo-yo outward, wrapping its wire around the Avatar's arm. Given their opening, the three Miraculous closed in on their opponent.

"The three of you…" the beast continued, still using a weak mimicry of Ladybug's voice. "Have crushed the hopes and dreams of the innocent for _far_ too long. The mayor, the police, the public: They have _all_ given you their trust, their faith, and their permission, yet you've only ever fought for yourselves."

_Chat_ drew his staff and carefully swung it at his opponent's sword as Volpina twirled her flute while Ladybug found herself winding up her device and preparing for a killing strike. Their minds were in a blazing, red fog that numbed their pain, forced their pain and anger to the surface, and led them to a single destination: They needed revenge, which would come in the form of a swift and painful demise.

"_The world has judged __**each**__ of you…" _the horrible voice continued. _"And it will not forgive what you have done."_

Suddenly, Volpina turned to her side in the hot, humid jungle beneath a sky as red as blood, and spotted her opponent. The pale, ashen-clad mockery of her beloved friend stood in the brush, staring at something in the distance, leading the fox Miraculous to tighten her eyes before delivering a violent right hook to her enemy's cheek.

"_But the world has taken so __**much**__ from each of you! Who are they to cast their fears, hopes, and dreams upon your weary shoulders?"_

Reeling from a blow she failed to prepare for, Ladybug opened her eyes in the hazy orange desert she had found herself in, clenched her fist, and drove it into the Avatar's maw. Because of her, and the powers that created her, people suffered. For that, there would be no mercy.

"_Don't you want revenge? Don't you feel the hatred, the pain, the loss of freedom, and the sting of a world that takes so much and gives nothing in return?"_

Falling onto his back, _Chat Noir_ searched for his target, only to find himself alone in a wooded area flowing with blue and white flames. The fraud wearing his beloved friend's face passed by a nearby tree, driving his anger to force his claws forward and slash at the Avatar's heart.

Mayura began to chuckle to herself as her icy heart grew light. Soon, a wild cackle erupted from her throat while the Miraculous battled and strove to kill one another. Ladybug tightly clenched her chest with her crossed arms, but the dark Miraculous knew her foe would endure. Surely, Ladybug would be the one to triumph over her allies, and once her lust for vengeance faded, Mayura would deliver the final blow. The ladybug Miraculous would finally die in guilt and shame, knowing she had been completely dishonored. Then, the world would see her for what she truly was, though she spent years hiding behind a veil of sanctimony.

Volpina collapsed against a nearby wall, her body aching and her resolve fading. No matter how many times she struck her opponent, she accomplished nothing. "Ladybug, _Chat_," she gasped in desperate attempts to catch her breath. "Where are you?" Clenching her throbbing shoulders, the young woman tightly closed her eyes and fought back the tears welling up inside of them. "I can't do this anymore…I can't do this anymore. Not alone. I can't…" A gust of wind washed over the area, cooling and drying the sweat on the fox Miraculous' brow, only to slow and linger. Though she was tempted to open her eyes, Volpina forced herself to remain still and take in her environment.

Turning her head toward the wayward hero, the final Avatar tightened her grip around the hilt of her sword and began walking to her. However, the beast's movements were slow, lingering on a single step until it appeared to be standing still. Volpina slowly calmed herself, all the while feeling Trixx's gentle, comforting embrace, and found herself standing in a bank of fog she never knew existed. "This…" the young hero declared, creating a vast echo. "…This is _wrong_. Everything…it's all a lie." With her ears, Volpina heard the footsteps of three individuals. With her nose, she smelled Adrien's cologne mingled with sweat, as well as Marinette's perfume. Finally, with her heart, she felt the presence of her beloved friends, knowing they were in pain. Within the flash of an instant, the fox Miraculous touched her flute to her lips, played her long-remembered music, and cleared away the fog of anger and vengeance that was consuming her and her loved ones.

Ladybug and _Chat Noir_ soon found they were grappling with one another, as their false environments faded to nothingness. The two gazed at one another, each bearing wounds and looks of great remorse, before turning to Volpina and the Avatar. As the beast prepared to slash its foe, it suddenly felt something grab the blade and halt its movement. Volpina snickered before opening her eyes. "Nice try, Wannabe," she happily declared.

"Perfect Cataclysm!" _Chat's_ voice cried out.

"…No," the final Avatar gasped in sorrowful defeat as its eyes began to shine with white light. Looking up to the sky, Ladybug's shadow opened her mouth to release a stream of white light, which soon began to radiate from her entire form as it began to crack.

Ladybug and Volpina stared at the pitiful sight with no feeling of victory or glory. _Chat_ closed his eyes and lowered his head as the great wind flowed through his long, flowing blond hair and danced across his pure, white mask. After seconds that passed by like an eternity, the last of the Avatars reached out her hand toward its mistress, only to shatter in an erupting swell of white light and energy that left nothing behind.

Once the light faded, and all grew silent, Volpina and Ladybug approached their friend as he remained crouched down on bended knee, his arm still outstretched and his eyes still tightly closed. Her movements gentle, Ladybug took her dear friend's hand in her own, allowing him to open his tear-reflective eyes. Once the young man knew his horrible duty was fulfilled, Volpina placed a kind hand upon his shoulder as the ladybug Miraculous helped raise him to his feet.

"Good job, _Chat_," Ladybug quietly declared as her white-clad ally stepped closer for her to envelop him in her loving arms. "You too, Volpina."

"Thank you," Volpina spoke just above a silent mouthing.

"_Chat_, it's okay," the raven-haired young woman assured her partner. "It wasn't real: The Peacock Miraculous made a puppet and used it to attack us. You _saved_ us, _Chat_…You didn't do _anything_ wrong. Just look at your costume…As white as an Angel."

"…Thank _God_ for you, Ladybug," the feline Miraculous choked out as he finally relaxed his hand.

Falling forward onto her knees with such force it cracked the ground beneath, Mayura coughed up a stream of blood into the air as her hopes shattered. The horror was unprecedented, as was the outrage. Truly, the Miraculous would stop at nothing to crush those around them. If given their way, Gabriel's world would be destroyed. Despite the pain wracking her body and mind, despite the blood she cried and choked on, and despite her fear and growing sense of despair, Mayura made her decision.

"Nathalie," the purple-haired little girl spoke up one last time. "What's gonna happen to you?"

"It doesn't matter," the dark Miraculous answered without hesitation, though sorrow laced her voice. With that, she jumped from atop the tower, spread her dark wings, and flew down to the earth. _This has to end now, _she declared.

Images of the loving father, taken too soon from this world began to flash through Mayura's spiraling mind: All the times he held her hand, calmed her after a nightmare, helped her through the times she wanted to give up and give in, and taught her to stand on her own, each so precious but so distant, began to resound in her heart yet again. Emilie appeared as well: Her long, golden blond hair blew in the strong wind as the bright and vibrant sun shined down on her glistening alabaster skin and infinitely warm and loving emerald eyes while her pure-white dress flowed like waves on the ocean. Her gentle embrace warmed Mayura's chilled flesh as her kind smile eased her heart. What would the two think if they could see their beloved friend or daughter now?

Opening her eyes, Nathalie found herself alone in the cold and darkness of her empty bedroom, her knees bent on the floor while she lay her weary head atop the center of her bed. Gabriel wasn't there to comfort her while she cried, just like her mother…

Finding herself standing in the icy room she once called home, Mayura looked around to see several spaces illuminated by Duusu's aqua-blue light. Photographs of the family she used to have, the dreams they used to share, and the peace they all enjoyed no longer brought her comfort. The only solace came from knowing her family could have it all back after she was gone. Adrien would never know of the horrors she and Gabriel suffered and enacted, just as it should be.

Nathalie sat upon a firm rocking chair in the dim light of the nursery one cold, windy night. Her tired eyes glanced down at the pure, beautiful baby boy resting in the cradle of her arms and suckling her breast. The purple-haired woman smiled as she stroked the child's soft blond hair. "There's nothing to be afraid of, Adrien," she whispered over the howl of the wind. "All the monsters are gone now…Mommy will never leave you again." The baby cooed as its little body settled into a peaceful position. "My sweet, beautiful little boy…I love you."

Before hitting the ground, Mayura spread a flurry of black and blue feathers to the wind, surrounding her and the other Miraculous in a barrier of darkness that choked out every star in the sky. The ominous figure levitating above them, Ladybug, _Chat Noir_, and Volpina gazed up at her dark and terrible beauty.

"Then you're the one," Ladybug called out as her hair blew in the icy winds.

"I am Mayura," the dark Miraculous declared as her eyes, now laced with crimson, locked onto the enemy of all she loved. "And with your demise, I will be the end of all sorrow."


	16. Requiem: Thanatos

Mayura

Requiem: Thanatos

Surrounded by darkness, as if standing in the eye of a great and terrible storm, the Miraculous watched their foe, who could have been one of them, knowing that she was the cause of the horrors they had endured. As she levitated above her enemies, Mayura's eyes began to stream with tears, though they did not obstruct her vision or compromise her cold, confident expression.

"Why are you doing this?" Volpina called out, forcing her tone to remain dispassionate. "Are you working with Hawk Moth?"

"I act on my own accord," the dark Miraculous declared with sinister joy in her icy tone. "You must have noticed it by now, no matter how hard you have all _tried_ to deny it: The world is unbalanced. Sorrow runs rampant through every man, woman, and child. The three of you were told you bore righteous purpose…that you served a greater purpose…that your deeds were justified. I have come to tell you that you have each been deceived."

_Chat Noir_, Ladybug, and Volpina remained staunch, showing no signs of doubt of fear. Having seen all the pain brought on by darkness, they vowed to bring light to the world until the Dawn returned. Their purpose remained ever the same: They were to restore and fight for the hope of all who existed around them.

"While the three of you basked in the fame and light of glory, those less fortunate were made to crawl, suffer, fight, and kill for what they needed," Mayura continued, her voice growing heavier with the sorrow and pain of those around her. "Those you deemed unworthy were brought to their knees, and _all_ under the authority of sanctimonious warriors no more virtuous than any other."

"Hawk Moth was the one who stepped on those he felt were beneath him," Ladybug declared with conviction. Though her anger boiled in her veins, she forced herself to remain calm. This new Miraculous could be redeemed, she knew. "We're trying to set everyone free. We're nothing more than servants to the people of Paris. We'll help you, just like any other."

Her eyes widening before frosting over with a rage so palpable she nearly choked on its presence, Mayura focused in on the ladybug Miraculous. "You…" she howled as a mist of darkness wrapped around her body as well as Ladybug's. "For _years_, I've watched you. Out of all Miraculous, yours was the greatest sin."

Ladybug looked down at her body in surprise and sorrow as the cold, ominous mist slithered and coiled around it like tentacles. Despite her efforts to fight, the young woman found herself unable to resist the shadows flowing into her eyes, turning her irises a dull shade of ruby and glossing over them with an icy blue layer resembling glass.

"Ladybug!" _Chat_ cried out as he and Volpina rushed to their friend's side. Before the two could reach their beloved ally, a barrage of black and blue feathers soared down from the sky, impaled the street, and formed a wall between them.

"Ladybug, don't give in!" Volpina begged while vainly attempting to breach the barrier. "Everything she'll show you is a lie!"

Ladybug shivered and trembled as her nearly paralytic body grew weak and cold. Pressing her elbows into her sides, the young hero looked at her quaking hands as the dark mist shrouded them. Then, within an instant, there was nothing but shadows. "Ladybug…" Mayura's voice gently called out in the void, her tone sinister and apathetic. "It started out so simple, didn't it? A little girl playing dress-up and calling herself a hero." Jolting her head to her left, Ladybug found nothing but darkness. "I don't know who gave you your Miraculous, but I _do_ know they would never have done it had they known what you would become." Ladybug thrust her head to the right, only to find black feathers falling from a terrible black sky. "A false idol…A thief of dreams…One who crushed hope while claiming to inspire it. It was all so simple when it began, wasn't it, Ladybug?" Hearing sorrow and remorse pouring from Mayura's mouth, Ladybug lowered her head and desperately attempted to find the source. "I'm sure you were such a sweet little girl before they found you…But the power changed you. That mission you were inspired to accomplish _ruined_ you. It led you to justify the horrible things you felt and did. And all the while, the people suffered." Ladybug turned around sharply. "Why did they do this to you?" the dark Miraculous beseeched the young woman. "Why _you_? Was it to spare themselves the shame? The horror? The Sorrow?"

Opening her eyes, the young Miraculous stood in a dimly lit doorway, dressed in a poorly stitched Ladybug costume, her hair in ribbons, looking out in fear at the unhappy world before her. The little girl quivered and shook as her lip quivered and her pale cheeks grew rosy and hot. "I forgot about that…" Marinette recalled, no longer filled with confidence or joy. "I was _alone_ when I became Ladybug. I was so young, so scared…But I was doing the right thing."

"You were miserable," Mayura gently hissed as her cold hands wrapped around the child. The dark Miraculous knelt down behind the poor, unhappy girl and rested her chin upon her shoulder. "A sad, lonely little girl trying so desperately to escape the loneliness. You would do anything you told you, just so you wouldn't have to feel the sorrow anymore…But it didn't go away, did it?"

"No," Marinette let out a heavy sigh filled with bitter sadness.

"No," the dark woman lovingly reassured her guest. "It only grew. You were _drowning_ in sadness and despair. And what did Ladybug ever truly do for the city of Paris? Look around you: terrorism, theft, murder…and Ladybug can do _nothing_ to stop it." The little girl's eyes began to glaze over with hot, blinding tears. "But still, you fought. You never once stopped to think about the criminals you battled, or even the reason why they acted as they did! Did you ever once consider that the world was more than heroes and villains?"

"I-I tried," Marinette whimpered as her tears soaked her mask. "But people were being hurt. I had to stop Hawk Moth."

"If not Hawk Moth, you would have found another," Mayura persisted, feeling the Miraculous' body growing colder. "Didn't it occur to you that the day would come when he stopped his attacks? Did you even _once_ consider why it was he sought the Miraculous?" Ladybug watched as a man cloaked in shadows fell to his knees and wept on the floor. "Think of all the sorrow you have caused him. Think of all the sorrow you have brought to the people you claim to want to save."

"Ladybug!" Adrien and Alya's voices screamed through the darkness. "Please, don't give in!"

Looking off in the distance, where her friends' voices shined with a light as warm as the sun, Marinette remembered the truth: Tikki was by her side every step of the way, like a Guardian Angel watching over her. _Chat Noir_ stood by her while Alya followed from a distance. She was never alone, and there was never a doubt in her mind that what she was doing spread the hope her town so desperately needed.

"Don't you want all that sorrow to melt away?" Mayura continued to hiss, her tone as genuine and convincing as it had ever been. "Not just _your_ sorrow, but the world's? All you have to do is give up your Miraculous and convince your partners to do the same. They can relinquish their pain and sorrow and live happy lives again. They'll never have to mourn or cry again." Ladybug began to clench her fist, though the tears continued to drip from her eyes. "…Can you truly bear to carry their sorrows any longer?"

"…I can't bear anyone's sorrows but my own," Marinette finally spoke up. "There will _always_ be sadness in the world. I'll forgive Hawk Moth…But I won't let him hurt the innocent to get what he wants. It's not too late for him, and it's not too late for you." Turning around and shattering the ice that sought to consume her, Ladybug stood as a woman before Mayura and gazed into her eyes. "You don't have to _be_ this anymore, and we'll _never_ give up until the world is safe."

Lowering her head, Mayura's eyes openly flowed with tears that soon turned to small streams of blood. "So sad…" she choked out. "So…_very_ sad." At that, the dark Miraculous vanished into the shadows, which shattered and freed the young woman from all that bound her. The three Miraculous then reunited and stood side-by-side before the wicked one. "Do the two of you choose to follow her?"

"_Hell_ yeah," Volpina declared.

"To the very end," _Chat_ concluded.

"Thank you," Ladybug replied to her beloved allies. "The two of you are my greatest power."

Lowering herself to the ground, Mayura glared at the three and charged forward. Volpina and _Chat Noir_ extended their weapons and sprinted toward their opponent while Ladybug threw her yo-yo and swung into the air. Like a bolt of lightning striking a rod, the four collided. Images flashed through the dark Miraculous' mind, recalling every hope and dream Gabriel had for saving his family, and how Ladybug and _Chat Noir_ repeatedly crushed them.

Blocking each of her opponents' blows, Mayura grabbed the feline Miraculous by the chest and drove him into the street, forming a deep imprint in its surface. Seizing the opportunity, Volpina swung her flute into her opponent's back, knocking her off-balance and allowing _Chat_ to recover. Ladybug then thrust herself against the dark Miraculous and landed on all fours to serve as a boost for _Chat Noir_. With the aid of his friend, the blond young man jumped into the air and tackled Mayura before she could rebound from Ladybug's strike. The other two Miraculous closed in on their foe, prepared to strip her of her Miraculous. Before her enemies could reach her, though, Mayura released a stream of feathers that thrust the three heroes onto their backs, allowing her to return to her darkened sky. Ladybug, _Chat Noir_, and Volpina quickly returned to their feet and gazed up at their foe.

Tears began to drop to the ground, continuing until a stream had formed beneath Mayura. Despite this, the Miraculous stood their ground. "…Why couldn't you open your eyes?" the dark Miraculous furiously choked beneath her breath. Her words bore a sorrow so great and so true it ached to utter them. "It did _not_ have to come to this…Damn you all." The heroes remained determined, showing no signs of fear or hesitation. "_Damn_ you all…" The air was silent as Mayura dug her nails into the palms of her hands. "…Then, you will all _drown_ in the endless sea of sorrow!"

Feeling a large drop of water splash down upon her head, Volpina looked up to see a distorted sky twisted with darkness and flowing with a raging stream of tears. The other Miraculous gazed up in shock and awe as a downpour of tears came upon them. At first, they endured and attempted to face their enemy, but it wasn't long before the gallons of salty droplets soaked their bodies and obstructed their vision. Mayura continued to call down her storm, even as her eyes and nose streamed with blood. The sight of _Chat Noir_ falling to his knees and desperately fighting to stay above the swelling pool rising to his ankles, coupled with Volpina clenching her throat for fear of drowning, brought only remorse for what could have been, but seeing Ladybug struggling to walk forward, eyes shutting, arms and legs quivering, provided a brief feeling of joy for the dark Miraculous.

"Do you see how you have brought your friends to suffer, Ladybug?" Mayura cried out with anger and disappointment in her voice. "Had it not been for you, they could have walked away and lived happy lives. Now, you will _all_ die."

Volpina fell to her knees, gasping and begging for air, only for _Chat_ to support her on his knee and lean over her head to provide a brief escape from the onslaught of tears. The sight, broken though it was, nearly shattered the ladybug Miraculous' heart, but she knew her friends would endure, and so she continued onward. Millions of teardrops beat down on the young woman, each telling a different story of sorrow and pain, but she still continued.

"_Nathalie!" _Duusu called out in fear and concern. The Kwami tightly grasped her beloved partner's arm with her astral form, as if trying to pull back her hand. _"This is too much! Your body can't handle something like this!"_

"I told you, Duusu," Mayura gently replied. "I was never going to walk away from this. All I need to do is endure just a little longer, and she'll come back to us." Despite all the pain burning in her weakened, frail body, the dark Miraculous forced herself to prolong the storm. "For her, and for _them_…I can endure anything."

"Please!" Ladybug desperately cried out as she spit back the tears raining down onto her face. "It's not too late for you! Just stop the storm, and we'll forgive _everything_!"

"The world will be a better place without your kind, Ladybug," Mayura called back, taking no pleasure in what she had to do. The thought of saving the world from Ladybug's lies and abominations bore the weight of obligation, shattering any joy retribution once gave the dark Miraculous. "Even in death, however, I will hate you forever. Your friends' loss shall bring me nothing but sorrow, though. All that they have done could have been forgiven, but your choices have killed them."

"_Don't listen to her, Marinette," _Tikki pleaded with her friend and partner. _"Believe in yourself. Believe in your friends. Put aside all your anger and sorrow to see who and what you truly are."_

Forcing her eyes to focus on Mayura, despite the burning droplets washing over her face, Ladybug tightened her glance, uttered a silent prayer, and extended her yo-yo in front of her chest. "Please…" she begged in a whisper. "Save _everyone_."

Suddenly, the clouds began to twist, ushering in a powerful bolt of pure, white energy that destroyed Mayura's storm and freed Volpina and _Chat Noir_. As her companions gasped for air, Ladybug allowed the white light to wash over her body and consume her. The dark Miraculous hid her eyes from the blinding flash, her nostrils flowing with blood as she gasped and attempted to recover from the strain she had underwent. Soon, the white energy faded, revealing a beautiful, glistening young woman whose flawless, red-spotted raven hair flowed down to her ankles, dressed from her neck down in pure, radiant, white silk resembling Ladybug's costume but spotted with thin, flowing aqua rings and releasing two massive, transcendent wings from the back of her shoulder blades. Upon the divine figure's snow-like face was a white mask coated with aqua rings that framed two glistening white-and-blue eyes above lips whitened and glazed with light blue.

"A perfect Lucky Charm," Volpina exclaimed as she and _Chat Noir_ attempted to rise onto their feet. The angelic sight seemed to give the other Miraculous renewed strength and vigor, even after the ordeal that nearly destroyed them.

"Saint Ladybug," the blond young man gasped at the heavenly sight before him.

Her nearly crystalline eyes focusing on her foe, the woman once known as Ladybug stepped forward without fear or hesitation. "Mayura," she spoke up in a voice so strong and sure it inspired chills. "You will bring no more pain or death to this city." The dark Miraculous clenched her fists despite the terror welling up within her. "I shall offer you one last chance at redemption…Will you accept?"

As blood belched from her mouth, Mayura snarled and charged forward with bladed feathers in each hand. _Chat Noir_ and Volpina closed their eyes and turned away, as if to spare the dark one shame. Saint Ladybug shed a single tear of disappointment and betrayal at the sight, but did not hesitate to raise the spotted wand that was once her yo-yo. In a flash of light too brilliant for human eyes, the world grew silent, and the war finally ended.

Mayura, swathed in darkness and tears, faced Saint Ladybug, draped and exposed in light and the warmth of love, in a world filled with a heavenly white glow. The two stared into the other's eyes, sharing their pain and sorrow. Despite the beautiful radiance before her, Mayura refused to relent or embrace the peaceful force.

"…Why, Mayura?" the white Miraculous finally spoke up, her voice laced with sorrow.

"What does it matter now?" the dark Miraculous answered scornfully, though her words revealed the terrible sting of failure and sadness that would never fade. "You could never understand Hawk Moth as he _truly_ is. That's why you chose to fight him all this time."

"The two of you were hurting people…Why can't you see that every life is worth the world?"

"Because this world only takes…I would have given my life to save her. But your kind wouldn't have it. I hope only that the world you fought to protect: The world where she no longer exists, was worth all the horror."

In that instant, the white light faded, finding Mayura lying on the ground in defeat, Saint Ladybug falling to her knees and returning to her original Miraculous form, and _Chat Noir_ and Volpina walked one another over to their ally. With the barrier of darkness gone, the night shined under the blessing of stars as a warm wind passed through Paris.


	17. Requiem: Redemption

Mayura

Requiem: Redemption

With light having returned to the city, the Miraculous felt their sorrows fade away, restoring the hope they each fought so desperately for. In that instant, the air grew lighter, though the bliss was short-lived.

"Ladybug," _Chat_ called as he approached his partner. "Are you okay?"

"…Ow," Ladybug declared in her own voice. "I'm okay, though."

"Where's her Miraculous?" Volpina asked, quickly scanning the enemy's form.

"It's a pin on her chest," Ladybug answered with the point of a shaking finger. "_Chat Noir_…"

"Got it," the feline Miraculous replied as he carefully parted ways with Volpina and ran to the pale-blue woman. Spotting the corrupted item, _Chat Noir_ crouched down and placed his white-clad hand over it. Mayura let out a heavy sigh of shameful defeat as her hated enemy enclosed her Miraculous in an orb of white energy. Closing his eyes, the blond young man concentrated until the pin was reduced to stardust. "Ladybug," he gently declared as he held out the orb of divine destruction.

Stumbling forward with Volpina's help, Ladybug slowly placed her hands into the ball of light, closed her eyes, and moved her head towards the sky. "Miraculous Ladybug," she prayed with the last of her strength.

Mayura closed her eyes and bowed her head in bitter sorrow. Duusu's large eyes dripped with hot tears as she reached out her little hand one last time to touch her beloved friend's shoulder. Then, her essence returned to the Miraculous as it was reconstructed into its purest state.

Once her work was done, Ladybug collapsed into Volpina's arms, where the fox Miraculous gracefully lowered her to the ground. "Nice work, Ladybug," she quietly exclaimed.

The world froze as the three Miraculous turned to their foe, whose façade slowly faded. The hatred and sorrow that were never her own began to vanish, allowing the woman's naturally purple and black hair to blow in the wind. _Chat Noir's_ eyes widened as his jaw dropped at the sight too terrible to be real. Volpina stared in awe for a moment before turning away. Ladybug's eyes glossed over with tears of sorrow and disappointment. Nathalie lay on the cold ground before the Miraculous, her pale skin dry and scratched, eyes reddened and moist with tears, lips cut, and her body thin and weak.

Before his beloved guardian could awaken, _Chat_ returned to Adrien and rushed to her side, crouching down on his knee and gently taking her hand. "Nathalie," he begged her to respond. "Nathalie, wake up!" Tears welled up in the young man's eyes as he desperately clenched the woman's hand. "Nathalie, please! _Please_, wake up!"

Her darkened, tear-stained eyelids slowly parting, Nathalie gazed up at her greatest treasure. "…Adrien," she happily exclaimed, though her voice was weak and hoarse. "Thank God." Mayura was truly gone, and the true Nathalie had returned.

Fighting back his tears, though they continued to flow from his eyes, Adrien forced himself to smile. "Nathalie," he choked out. "…Nathalie, you're sick. What happened? Nathalie, please…I…I don't understand this."

Letting out a heavy sigh, the purple-haired woman closed her eyes to release one last tear before opening them once more to look her beloved charge in the face. "I prayed you wouldn't see me like this," she confessed. "Adrien, I've made _so_ many mistakes in my life…But whenever I look at you, I remember why I'm here…and it feels like redemption."

"Nathalie…" Adrien gasped out between quaking sobs. "You…How did you…"

"Adrien, please listen…Your father is a saint…" Closing her eyes and wincing in pain, Nathalie squeezed the boy's hand, like he used to do to her as a babe. "…I've done something terrible…But everything…_everything_…was for her…"

"What?" the blond young man choked out, growing ever more confused. "W-who are…"

"Your mother, Adrien," Nathalie confessed with a smile. "My sweet, beautiful boy…All I ever wanted was to see her hold you again…even if it was only once…I see how much you and your father need her…and I thought my life was a small price to pay."

Shaking his head, Adrien pulled his guardian closer, kissed her icy cheek, and gently stroked the hair away from her face. "Nathalie, that Miraculous…" he managed to whisper. "Nathalie, it was broken… Is that…Is…Is that why you got sick? Nathalie!" His heart pounding, Adrien turned to Ladybug and Volpina. "Ladybug, please! You've got to do something! You can heal her, can't you?"

Ladybug forced herself back onto her feet, handed the restored Miraculous to Volpina, and began to stagger forward. Though her body ached and the spots on her Miraculous were beginning to fade, the young woman pushed onward.

"Adrien, no matter what happens to me…" Nathalie began her final confession. The woman smiled as tears slid from her dulled eyes. Adrien continuously shook his head, begging in gasps for this not to be the end. "…I am so _proud_ of you…You're so much like your mother…" Nathalie then looked up at Ladybug, her shame nearly choking her. "Ladybug…I can see you better now…We were wrong about you…I am so sorry."

"Ma'am, I…Nathalie…" Ladybug replied, her voice free of any anger. "You were under the influence of…"

"No, Ladybug…" Nathalie forced herself to continue. "For _so_ long…all that hate…all because you were trying to do the right thing…Hawk Moth…him and I…we were wrong…I never meant to hurt anyone, though. God…I'm so sorry."

"…T-try not to talk," the ladybug Miraculous nervously replied as she extended her yo-yo. "Everything's gonna be alright, Nathalie…" Closing her eyes, Marinette felt her heart shatter not only for Nathalie, but for Adrien as well. This had to work. "Miraculous Ladybug," she begged.

Flying from her shelter, Duusu passed by Volpina, who tearfully watched the unhappy scene without knowing what to say or do. Her little face locked in a deeply sorrowful frown, the unhappy Kwami sniffled and shed tears as she flew to her dearest friend and touched her hand one last time. Closing her eyes, Duusu felt Nathalie take her hand, giving her all she needed to nod her little head and disappear.

A wash of white energy flowed over Nathalie's thin, pale body as Ladybug struggled to maintain her fleeting strength. Slowly, her Miraculous form began to fade, revealing Marinette's tear-soaked eyes and intense expression. Despite the pain, she forced herself to endure, all for Nathalie. As the Miraculous Light began to fade, Ladybug froze before shedding bitter tears. "Her body is too badly injured and weak," she sorrowfully declared, much to Adrien and Volpina's horror. "…She's entering a coma, but I don't know if she'll ever wake up."

"Nathalie, please!" Adrien begged as she threw himself over his beloved guardian and tightly hugged her. "Please, no…"

Extending her hand, Volpina focused her energy and created a small, gentle sun over the mother and her child. The light was just enough to warm Nathalie's withered body, and allow her to see Adrien as clear as the day.

"…Mom," Adrien exclaimed as he lay his face upon the sweet, beautiful woman's bosom.

Letting out a sharp gasp, Nathalie smiled and wept tears of joy before placing her arms around the young man she loved as her own. "I love you, Adrien," she choked out as her eyelids grew far too heavy to remain open. "Thank you…for saving me…"

"Nathalie, we forgive everything," Ladybug declared as Marinette's hands became exposed through her disintegrating costume. "No one blames you for what Mayura did…You're a hero and a mother…"

Nathalie smiled warmly as she looked out to see her Avatars standing around her and her beloved child. They were all so beautiful, despite what they were made to do. Slowly, the wolf and Ladybug's shadow stepped in opposite directions and paved the way for a woman clad in a flowing, white gown, whose golden hair blew in an unseen breeze. Her emerald eyes were filled with love as her gentle smile seemed to glow. "I see her…" the suffering woman joyously exclaimed. "Adrien…I love you. I couldn't save her, or you, or even your father…I see that now…But I will love each of you forever and ever…" Letting out one last sigh, Nathalie finally found peace, and slipped into a deep slumber in Adrien's arms.

Tightly clenching his eyes shut to shut out the hellish reality around him, Adrien let in a painful gasp as he nuzzled his cheek against Nathalie's. Plagg levitated above his dearest friend, his face locked in an expression of profound shock and mutual pain, before lowering himself to hug the crown of the young man's head. Ladybug and Volpina approached to the left and right and placed their hands on the suffering child's shoulders, wanting nothing more than to take his pain away. Despite their powers, the Miraculous remained helpless against the forces of life and death, even when unnatural forces were to blame. His normally immovable expression stricken with shock and horror, Master Fu slowly approached the awful scene, relying heavily on his cane. Adrien felt the old master's hand upon his back, like the embrace of the grandfather he never knew. In that darkest of times, the three Miraculous, their Kwami, and their master took comfort in the fact that they still had one another.

A gentle, cool breeze swept through the silent city as the first rays of the rising sun shed their holy, warming light on the world. Adrien finally managed to look up from Nathalie's cold, sweet face and into the golden embrace of the sunrise. Ladybug, Volpina, and Plagg turned as well, letting the wind blow through their hair. Master Fu, as expected, vanished before the dawn, but his presence left a lingering feeling of hope.

Aftermath

"Nadia Chamack, Paris News," the anchorwoman spoke into the camera as she stood in front of the rubble and wreckage from the previous night's rampage. "A host of strange creatures, believed to be associated with Hawk Moth, laid waste to our fair city, forcing residents off the streets, all over the course of last night. Thanks to the efforts of Ladybug, Cat _Noir_, and Volpina, there was no loss of life, and collateral damage was minimized. Parisians have once again banded together to restore property lost or destroyed during this incident.

'When asked to comment, Volpina refused, insisting the crisis had been averted and there were no further concerns. Ladybug and Cat _Noir_ could not be reached for an interview, and their whereabouts, as usual, remain a mystery.

'Mayor Bourgeois has addressed the citizens of Paris, having this to say:'

"The Miraculous have once again protected our fair city," the white-haired man declared into an array of microphones. "However, the nature of these most recent attacks has left us with more questions than answers. Given the gravity of the situation, I intend to schedule a private conference with Ladybug in an attempt to discern Hawk Moth's motivation as well as the source of the creatures that laid waste to the city."

"Although most injuries were minor or otherwise unrelated," Nadia continued once the feed of the mayor concluded. "Gabriel Agreste's personal secretary and assistant manager of the prestigious Gabriel fashion brand, one Nathalie Sancoeur, was hospitalized following the attack. Her condition is stable for the time being, but she has reportedly fallen into a trauma-induced coma."

Having donned the vile and shameful mantle of Hawk Moth once more, Gabriel lowered his head and closed his eyes in profound sorrow as his window to the city sealed itself shut. All hope and all joy had truly left his life, leaving only darkness and a deeper thirst for revenge against Ladybug and all who stood with her.

Exhausting all remaining willpower to prevent her hand from crushing the peacock Miraculous, Marinette placed the artifact in a black, wooden trunk blessed by a sacred seal. Surrounding the pin, though few in number, were several other Miraculous, each bearing their own unique design. Once the item was safely returned to its rightful resting spot, Marinette stepped back and allowed Master Fu to once more close the box.

"Marinette, I know deh three of you are suffering," the old master declared in a softer, kinder voice than before. "…But we cannot allow ourselves to become distracted. Dis too shall pass, in time."

"Master…could I have saved her?" Marinette spoke up one last time before her tears began to stream down her cheeks. "There must have been _something_ I could have done!"

"I am sorry, Marinette," Master Fu answered as he closed his heavy eyes and released a heavy sigh. "But it is not our place to determine who will live, and who will die. All we can do is try to protect deh innocent, and pray dat we can accept deh consequences."

"Master…" the raven-haired young woman declared, her voice taking on a different tone. "…I can't forgive Hawk Moth…not after what he's done to Nathalie, and to Adrien…"

"My child, you must control your passions…Lest you become something you are not. Deh pain we feel dis day shall fade…We _must_ remember who we are, and why we are here."

A sharp, disgusted snarl poured from Marinette's mouth as she turned and quietly stormed out of the room, leaving her master alone and guilty once more.

After a week, upon special request, Gabriel was able to have Nathalie moved to the Agreste Mansion. A team of doctors and nurses were assigned to monitor and treat the comatose woman around the clock, allowing only Adrien and Gabriel to see her. In accordance with HIPPA laws as well as Gabriel's orders, no information of Nathalie's condition or whereabouts were to be shared with the media or anyone outside of the Agreste family.

"Master…" Adrien choked out, managing to control his tears just a little bit longer. "Why did this have to happen to Nathalie? W-why couldn't it have been _me_?"

"Do not bear dis weight upon your weary shoulders, Adrien," the elderly man ordered of his student. "Your life is just as precious as hers. She was mislead, but she alone must choose whether or not to return. In dis time, I pray you will not consider retribution." Adrien lowered his head. "Spend time with your friends, my child. Retribution is in deh hand of God, not deh Miraculous."

Over the following month, Volpina was spotted more frequently than either Ladybug or _Chat Noir_, leaving Alya little time alone or in the company of family or friends. Students at Collège Françoise Dupont soon found that, following their condolences, they had little to talk about around Adrien, Alya, or Marinette. All of Paris seemed to grow quieter as the three friends slowly alienated themselves from one another.

The Miraculous Ones spent most of their meetings in silence or absence, leaving Master Fu to watch his students come undone. After such a short time, the family they had all forged was growing apart, leaving only silent sorrow and unspoken words as a bitter memory. The Kwami attempted to raise their partner's spirits, but to no avail. For the first time in so long, tomorrow showed little promise, and every sunset left the world colder. The mayor continued his attempts at reaching Ladybug, but was met only with radio silence.

Adrien sat at Nathalie's bedside day after day, whether hoping she would wake up or simply needing to see her face, cold and still though it was, he didn't know. Marinette and Alya would come by on separate days from one another, each apologizing to her for their failure. Gabriel visited his beloved assistant only at night, just as he did for Emilie.

Another month passed by, ushering in an unnaturally cold blanket of snow to cover Paris' sorrows and scars. Days and nights seemed to fade into one another, causing everyone to lose track of hours, days, or even weeks. Not since Hawk Moth's first attack had so many lost their way, and few were able to tell why.

Master Fu faced his pupils as they sat away from one another on his living room floor. Marinette, Adrien, and Alya kept to themselves, each doing what they could to fight off the tension and discomfort in the air.

At last, Marinette rose to her feet, turned, and faced her friends and the old master. "…I feel like I failed you guys," she confessed, no longer able to keep her feelings hidden. "…That's why I haven't come around. And every time I see any of you or Nathalie, all I can see is how I couldn't save her…and how I couldn't save you from this sadness."

"It wasn't your fault," Alya replied, opening her mouth for the first time in so long. "I was the one who couldn't do anything…I couldn't even comfort _you_, Adrien."

"…It's not like I did any good, either," Adrien finally opened up. "Nathalie was so sick, and I couldn't even be there for her. Maybe if I did, I could have…"

"Do not mourn deh past, _any_ of you," Master Fu ordered. The moment he had waited so long to see had finally come. "We are only human…Our spirits can only endure so long before we crumble… Adrien, Marinette, Alya…each of you did all dat you could…Nathalie is _alive_ because of what you have all done. She slipped into slumber with her spirit at peace…_Each_ of you was responsible for dat. Sometimes, all we can be is present…Forgive…and _be_ forgiven."

Marinette let out a heavy sigh, released Hawk Moth from her mind, and mustered the strength to approach her friends. Alya looked Adrien and Marinette in the eyes, knowing there was no shame to be had. Adrien outstretched his arms to embrace the members of his precious family that were still with him. Their mistakes and pain having faded at long last, the Miraculous, their Kwami, and the old master finally embraced one another. Despite all they had endured, all they had lost, and all the pain they witnessed, there was hope: Tomorrow would be filled with an unending light. In that one moment, there was certainty, even if it was only temporary.


	18. Bonus Story: Chat Tales

**A/N: This story is set after the events of Mayura and is canon with the series.**

**Italics are used to show emphasis as well as words or names meant to be read as their original French.**

_Chat _Tales

Chapter One: First Trick

_Introduction_

Following yet another endless day at school, his eyelids heavy and tired, Adrien stumbled into the Agreste Mansion, trudged his way up the many steps leading to his room, all the while carrying a backpack that seemed to grow heavier with each passing minute, passed by his father's office to make sure the man knew his son had returned, entered his bedroom, closed and locked the door behind him, threw his pack onto a nearby chair, and flopped down atop his bed. Another lonely day had passed by, most likely leading to another lonely night. Hawk Moth had yet to surface since Mayura's attack, and crime seemed to have reached a momentary decline. Though the thought of Paris being safe from harm gave him comfort, the young man couldn't help but feel the weight of repetition and loneliness on his shoulders.

Having made up his mind, Adrien called Marinette and Alya and made plans for the next day. Even if they weren't all on the best of terms for the time being, a meeting would break the dull cycle and allow for a chance to make things better. For tonight, though, Adrien was alone and lonely.

"I hate seeing you like this, kid," Plagg declared as he floated out of his partner's book bag. "There's gotta be _something_ you wanna do."

"No, not today, Plagg," Adrien groaned, barely lifting his face from the blankets he had dove into. "We're all gonna do something tomorrow. I'm just too tired and down to do anything tonight. I think I'm just gonna get a shower, make some dinner, and go to bed early."

"Wow, you _are_ old," the feline Kwami lovingly teased his friend. "Honestly, that doesn't sound half-bad. Why don't you grab me something while you're in the kitchen, and we can have dinner together in here?"

"Sounds like a plan," the blond young man finally smiled. With Nathalie asleep, far too many nights were wasted dining alone. Having Plagg to talk to was truly a blessing. Gabriel would most likely be working through the night yet again, so there was no point in sitting at the large, empty dinner table.

Stepping into his shower, Adrien dropped his towel outside, closed the sliding glass wall, and turned the water on. With a hiss, lukewarm water sprayed from the nozzle, wetting down the young man's flawless blond hair and soaking his body. The warm embrace was a great comfort as the waters washed away hours of sweat and tension. Under the bathroom lights, Adrien's toned and lightly muscular body glistened as the hundreds of tiny droplets ran down his shoulders and chest. Steam began to fill the air, creating a barrier between the blond and the world around him, even through the glass.

Having lathered his thick, full hair with a luxurious shampoo that seemed to eliminate every trace of dirt and grime, Adrien closed his eyes and smiled gracefully as the stream of water washed over his face. The young man gently stroked his hair back until it lay smooth and flat atop his sweet head, sending suds and small splashes of water onto the floor below.

Once his body had been thoroughly washed and rinsed, Adrien turned up the hot water and let out a heavy sigh to release the day's struggles and worries into the air. In the robust, heated water, the young man felt a deep feeling of relaxation flood over his entire being, slowing his heartbeat and steadying his breath. Crossing his arms over his tight chest and gently clenching his shoulders, the blond turned his back to the stream of heavenly hot water as his mind, finally at peace, began to wander. In those blissful, silent moments, the people of Paris, at one time or another, came to wonder the same thing: Where does _Chat Noir_ go when he's alone?

_Chat _Tales

"What's up, Master?" _Chat Noir_ asked as he and Volpina entered their master's apartment. "You said you had something really important to tell us."

"Is everything okay?" Volpina added, her voice growing concerned.

"Yes, my students," Master Fu answered with joy in his calm voice. "I have discovered a Miraculous I thought _lost_ to time. Marinette has agreed to become its first host in order to wake deh Kwami inside."

"Whoa," the feline Miraculous exclaimed. "That's really cool of you, Marinette. What animal is it?"

"To be honest, I don't know," Marinette answered as she carefully removed her earrings and set them into her master's hands. Tikki floated to her partner's side to act as moral support. "Not even Tikki or Master Fu seem to know what this Miraculous is."

"It was so long ago," Tikki confessed. "I haven't seen the Kwami for decades. They've been asleep this whole time."

Master Fu removed the newly discovered Miraculous from a small, metal box and held it up to his student. Slowly reaching her hand into the holding place of the sacred item, Marinette pulled out what looked like a white tiara.

"…Interesting choice," Volpina declared as she sat down next to _Chat_. "I can't wait to see what kind of powers a Miraculous like this has."

"I think we are _all_ very curious, Volpina," the old master declared as he sat down beside his students. "Whenever you are ready, Marinette."

Marinette closed her eyes, nodded her head, and gazed down at the tiara before reverently placing it atop the crown of her head. With a sparkle of glistening white energy, a small Kwami as white as snow, female in appearance, and beaming with two large, aqua-blue eyes uncurled itself from its resting position, extending two long rabbit ears and wagging a small, supple white tail.

Turning around, the rabbit Kwami gazed at her new partner and smiled. "Wow," she happily declared. "I've been asleep so long…My name if Fluff. I am the Kwami of the Rabbit Miraculous. And you must be…Marinette."

"I am," the raven-haired young woman answered with a smile. "I'm the keeper of the Ladybug Miraculous, but I was chosen to be the one to awaken you, Fluff. It's an honor to finally meet you."

Volpina tightly clenched her hand over her mouth, though she could not conceal how terribly she was blushing. Finally, she released a lovesick squeal and stomped her feet at a furious speed. "She's so cute!" she cried out. "She's just adorable!" Master Fu simply nodded his head, eyes closed, and smiled.

"Okay, Marinette," Fluff spoke up, her young voice filled with energy. "If you call out, 'Fluff, Fluff Out!', that'll let you transform into the rabbit Miraculous!"

"Alright!" Marinette passionately exclaimed as she focused her energy and ambition. "Fluff, Fluff Out!" The Kwami closed her eyes and merged with her Miraculous, bathing Marinette in a heavenly white light.

Restfully floating in the warm, transformative embrace of the Miraculous Light, Marinette opened her eyes as the holy energy merged with her transcendent form. The rush of power was intense and inspiring, ending with a small burst of light as Marinette entered into a proud stance to display her new Miraculous form.

Once the lights faded, Master Fu and his students removed their hands from above their eyes and took in the sight. Suddenly, all three opened their eyes as wide as physically possible as their awestruck expressions froze. After what felt like an hour, Master Fu blushed heavily, pretended to cough, and covered his mouth while closing his eyes. Volpina tightly pressed her crossed hands over her mouth, blushed, and, against her will, released a shrill giggling fit. _Chat_, on the other hand, dropped his jaw and smiled with the glee and excitement of a schoolboy as his heart began to pound.

Blinking in confusion, her mouth open slightly, Marinette released a higher-pitched, "Huh?" before looking down at herself. The sight immediately forced the young woman to gasp as her new form came to light: Her neck covered only by a snug, white choker with a little bell at its center, the young Miraculous saw her fully exposed arms frame a seamless, sleeveless, strapless black bodysuit formed just below her chest and almost dangerously high-cut at the waist, with a utility belt hanging by her hips, her hands draped up to her elbows in solid-white gloves, and her completely naked legs meeting a pair of black high-heel slippers. Looking up, Marinette's face quickly became as hot and red as a raging fire, especially once a pair of black bunny-ears extended from her long, loose, and flowing hair around the tiara. Letting out a shrill gasp, the rabbit Miraculous sharply turned away in embarrassment, only to hear her allies gasping and giggling even more. Despite the overwhelming sense of terror that threatened to consume her body, mind, and soul, Marinette glanced back to see a puffy, white cotton-tail wagging ever so slightly atop the small section of her posterior that her costume covered. "Fluff!" she cried out in horror and rage. "What did you do to me?"

Master Fu quickly picked himself up and excused himself from the room while Volpina ran to her friend's side, failing at her attempts to contain her giggles, and placed her jacket around the embarrassed young woman's shoulders. _Chat_, however, remained perfectly still in his seated position, unable to look away or even blink, and not willing to move a muscle.

"It's not that bad," Volpina assured Marinette, her voice calm and sympathetic. "It's actually really cute. I mean, you're covered and everything. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"Well, that's easy for _you_ to say," Marinette declared as she attempted to flatten her ears, only for them to spring up again. "I am _never_ volunteering to awaken another Kwami as long as I live."

"I don't blame you," the fox Miraculous warmly agreed. "_Chat_, you wanna help out or leave the room or…_anything_?"

After an awkward silence, the feline Miraculous finally gathered the strength to speak. "…Um…" he nervously stuttered. "I don't want to move from this spot…I'm afraid that, if I do…I'm gonna lose control and try to chase you, Marinette. It's the cat in me."

"It's the devil in you I'm _really_ worried about," Marinette shot back, still blushing like a schoolgirl.

_Chat _remained in his self-imposed time-out as Marinette and Volpina made their way into another room for Marinette to power down in. Once the door behind the young women had closed, the young man continued to hold his breath until he heard the lock click, let out the heaviest sigh of his life, felt his heart nearly puncture his chest as it viciously pounded, and let his tongue dangle in awestruck ecstasy. "This is…the greatest day…of my entire life," he joyously declared. Not long after, a rush of cold water came pouring down upon the Miraculous as he desperately attempted to settle himself down and escape from his own thoughts. As he began catching his breath in his master's shower, _Chat_ heard a tapping sound that caused his eyes to open.

Turning away from his hot shower, Adrien looked to see Plagg pressed up against the glass wall of the shower, scribbling something in the layer of fog, and panting. Reading the poorly-written message, the blond young man rolled his eyes, nodded his head, turned off the water, wrapped himself in a towel, and stepped out. "I seriously doubt you're actually starving, Plagg," he declared with a chuckle.

"I am, Adrien!" the Kwami whined. "You fell asleep in that shower for almost _five minutes_! I almost died!"

"Sure, Plagg," the blond young man answered. "Come on, I'll make you some dinner. Just nothing with rabbit in it."

"…Huh?" Plagg replied, only to be met with an awkward silence and some nervous giggling.


End file.
